Meet Our American Makers: Dustin from Longleaf Leather Co.
Dustin is a local maker of durable leather goods and his studio is located in Petal, Mississippi, not too far from Laurel. His custom work is featured on our shelves in the Laurel Mercantile and Scotsman General Store and sold all over the world.
Before Dustin ever dreamed of becoming a small business owner, he served in the Navy for eight years. He discovered a leather maker in 2014 in Norfolk, Virginia and eventually bought his own pair of tools to make a wallet. From there, he found the love of this craft and opened his shop, Longleaf Leather Co.
Dustin discovered American suppliers in Maine, Massachusetts, and Ohio that could help him launch his company. It was in Ohio that he formed a partnership with Weaver Leather.
"One of our distributors is Weaver Leather in Ohio, which is in the heart of Amish country. I've visited their warehouse twice now, and it's almost one million square feet, three stories tall, and over 20 acres long. Their leather is high-grade, and that's why I like making all of our products from their supply." — Dustin
Dustin continued to cultivate a working relationship with suppliers and leather makers across the U.S., perfecting his craft and gaining clients that valued his work.
In 2016, Dustin walked into the freshly opened Laurel Mercantile with his portfolio of leather goods. We were looking for local makers, and Dustin was looking for us. It was a match made in heaven.
"About a week after the opening, I walked in there, and I said, "Hey, y'all want to work together?" The whole team was in there, and they liked what I made and loved small businesses. It worked out well!" — Dustin
Dustin's impeccably crafted and uniquely designed leather products, and his shared dedication to American-made, durable products made him a perfect partner for our store.
He started out making hammer covers and wallets for our stores, but since then, his product offerings have expanded to include leather portfolios, wallets, belts, duffle bags, and much more.
Today, Dustin makes over 60 items in his shop, many of which are in our stores. We're proud to support Dustin, his craft, and his mission to supply people with lasting, meaningful leather products.
