dsfdGrant Anderson runs Uptown Common, a small handmade shop known for structured purses, briefcases, and bags with a distinctive double-color stitch line. This spring he launched a second venture, The Leather Reserve, importing MPG Industria hides from Italy after a discontinued leather nearly cost him a sale. Matt and Grant get into the making and the business in equal measure.

Highlights:

The used King Ranch F-150 whose saddle-leather interior sent Grant looking for a bag — and eventually into making his own.

Why he wet-forms nearly everything, and how he builds gusset forms out of stacked acrylic (with a belt-strap molding idea to kill clamp marks).

The two-color saddle stitch: four needles, two threads, and a "leapfrog" rhythm that skips every other hole.

Switching from waxed linen to Tiger/Ritza polyester after breaking thread mid-stitch.

The Barry King maul, and why a $90 hammer changed how the work felt.

How one discontinued hide turned into a corporation and a wire transfer to Italy in about three weeks.

Why a 50 sq-meter tannery minimum (~35 hides per color) keeps makers from buying direct.

The MPG lines coming in: Apollo, Aragona (corrected grain), and Vakeda (tumbled), plus a custom deep-red veg tan.

Episode Breakdown:

0:00 – Welcome and guest intro

1:02 – How Grant got into leather

2:09 – The King Ranch truck that started it

3:20 – Why leather longevity (and care) matters

4:26 – Hobby to business: Uptown Common

6:01 – Why most makers avoid bags

8:59 – Wet-forming for structured bags

12:15 – Acrylic forms, molds, and the strap trick

19:10 – Tools that matter: the Barry King maul

20:50 – Hand stitching vs. machine

24:22 – The jig rabbit hole

27:09 – The two-color saddle stitch

29:47 – How the four-needle "leapfrog" stitch works

36:19 – Stitching ponies and their frustrations

42:54 – The Leather Reserve origin story

47:17 – Why makers can't buy direct (minimums and shipping)

49:46 – What makes MPG leather different

55:12 – The Apollo, Aragona, and Vacchetta lines

1:02:00 – Five-year plans for both brands

1:08:18 – Leather weight and the splitting-machine question

1:13:03 – Listener questions and where to find Grant

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Guest: Alexis Saab
Sponsor: None
Primary Topic: Building a small leather goods brand from a custom footwear background
CTA: Listen to the full conversation on The Leather Shop Podcast at leathershoppod.com, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you listen. Follow @leathershoppod for new episodes and clips.

Discussed in this episode

Alexis’s move from custom sneakers into small leather goods

The early direction for his new brand, Back Home

Designing a logo that works when stamped into leather

Why detailed artwork can fail when pressed into certain leather types

The skull-and-halo concept behind the Back Home mark

Learning leather through footwear, scrap leather, and experimentation

Chrome tan versus veg tan from a maker’s point of view

Why shoe patterns are harder than wallet patterns

Sneakers, boots, and dress shoes as different craft disciplines

Rush-order stress and the cost of mistakes in custom footwear

Heat-activated glue and sole attachment

Post-bed machines, roller feet, and stitching around curves

Bell skivers, machine maintenance, and workshop space

Leather community versus shoemaking community

Selling through design instead of only selling material

Alexis’s long-term goal of creating his own shoe silhouette

Mike from BulSae Leather joins Matt in this deep‑dive into Korea’s vibrant leathercraft culture. Starting with a single wallet and fueled by a passion to “make things that last longer than our lifetime,” Mike has built BulSae Leather into a small but mighty workshop known for its clean design, uncompromising hand‑work, and thoughtful storytelling. In this episode you’ll hear how a childhood fascination turned into a full‑time craft, why the name BulSae—Korean for “phoenix”—represents both heritage and reinvention, and how Mike balances tradition with modern tools in a world where “handmade” is often gate‑kept.

💬 Join the Leather Shop Discord
🧰 Check the Amazon Tool List

👉 Follow on Instagram: @leathershoppod
👉 More episodes: leathershoppod.com
👉 All links & resources: Linktree

Support us on Patreon