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patterns, rolls of leather and tools of the trade,
Bates Leather Company handmakes all of
their leather goods using high quality, oiltanned
and veg-tanned hides that only get
better with age. “Leather lasts pretty much
forever with little to no maintenance. Our
custom leather goods are going to hold up for
life,” assures Tracy.
Around leather pretty much his entire life,
Tracy remembers visiting his uncle’s leather
shop and thinking, “I’d love to do this too!”
Tracy continues, “He had leather everywhere,
and it smelled great. He had pocketbooks
hanging on the wall and bracelets and wallets.
I remember smelling the dyes and the leather
thinking I would love to have a little shop one
day.”
Both Tracy and Kim grew up in Robbins.
Being able to serve from their hometown
means the world to them as they too have
chosen to raise their three children Dylan,
Lane and Alison in the goodness of country
life. In addition to working together at Bates
Leather Company, Tracy is a lineman for a
local electric company while Kim is a teacher
who helps children grow their reading skills.
The progression to Bates Leather Company
is a dream come true. When Tracy made the
decision to go for it, he started buying little
scrap pieces of leather from Zack White
Leather Company and hand-sewing holsters
for clients. From hand-sewing products
to now using sewing machines, the goods
have increased multi-fold from those first
handmade holsters. Tracy laughs, “I saw one
of my first pistol holsters recently, and it was
hideous! Man, have we come a long way!”
Since 2010, Tracy has worked in his little
shop dubbed “the man cave” all by himself
crafting custom orders of mostly holsters and
rifle slings. Tracy remembers when a buddy
of his asked him to make a pocketbook for his
wife. He recalls, "I told him he was crazy, that
I had never made a pocketbook before! Well,
Kim piped in and said, ‘Sure we’ll do it!’ The
following weeks, we ended up making five or
six more bags for other friends!”
The year was 2017 when Kim joined Tracy
in the shop. In working together, their product
line now includes gun holsters, rifle slings,
handbags, wallets, card holders, shave kits,
bracelets, earrings, belts, key rings and more!
Their water buffalo belt, which has a great
feel, is a big seller! From the little field note
covers, to journal covers and mug holders that
support a Yeti, there is something for everyone.
Guitar straps, cross body bags and leashes
continue onto the Amish tool boxes which are
really awesome—the perfect addition to any
home. In increasing the product line, truly
their compatibility has grown much stronger.
Kim smiles, “We have found our thing in the
shop. By the time we retire, we’ll have more
time to focus on creating as we support our
retirement.”
From start to finish, the Bates family
handcrafts the leather goods. Tracy explains,
“We take a big leather hide, lay the pattern
over the hide, draw out a pattern, cut it out and
then sew the product together. We complete
each piece with our signature stamp.”
Because they have learned the skills from
the ground up, the most difficult part of the
process is when someone wants a custom
piece. “Coming up with the initial design is
a challenge based on a lot of trial and error,
but when we get it right—it’s a great feeling!”
exclaims Tracy. “And the best part of the
product is the finished product! We’ve always
felt that draw of creativity. We want to create,
and the reason we are creative is because
we’re made in God’s image. He’s the master
Creator!”
Many unforgettable memories mark
the Bates Leather Company journey. From
creating a custom holster for an insulin
pump to a custom knife holder, one of the
favorites remains re–purposing some belts
and saddlebags into a cross body purse. Kim
will never forget working on this project. She
tells, “We had a lady whose father passed
away, and she wanted to re-purpose some
of his personal things into a bag. Using a few
of his belts and his saddle bags, we worked
really hard to make it all come together; the
process took a little while, but the end result
was awesome! Being able to mend people’s
heirlooms is super special!”
With a growing appreciation of handmade
goods amidst a marketplace of mass produced,
the Bates Leather Company has truly found
their niche. Attending craft fairs whenever
possible, Bates Leather Company has featured
their products at the Asheboro Fall Festival,
Lexington BBQ Festival, Christmas in July in
West Jefferson and Autumn Fest in Southern
Pines. As clients handle the product and
understand the value of handmade goods,
Tracy emphasizes, “We are at a crucial time
in America where we need to be getting back
to American made. We offer quality, custom
made leather goods that will last a lifetime.”
Offered in various shades of brown and
black, the brown leather is consistently a
local favorite. Within the product line, the
top sellers remain the bracelets and belts,
and some products can be personalized
with initials as well. As for the Bates’ favorite
products? The shaving kit is Tracy’s favorite,
and the bracelets are Kim’s favorite. Locals
can purchase products either by appointment
to the shop or by shopping online at www.
batesleatherco.com.
As the vision for Bates Leather Company
grows, Tracy smiles, “We’re just going with the
flow, and every year gets better and better.”
Kim shares, “One day, we would love to have
a storefront in downtown Robbins to feature
our products! Locals could experience the
leather goods being made as they shopped.”
No matter what comes, the dream continues
as Tracy and Kim enjoy their leather shop
and fulfill the dream of working together to
embrace creativity and reflect the image of
God. ☐
For more on Tracy and Kim Bates, p.4.
Check out www.batesleatherco.com &
follow them on fb @BatesLeatherCo.
Tracy & Kim work together in the shop.
Above: The Shaving Kit is Tracy's Favorite.
Below: The Bracelets are Kim's Favorite.
Handmade Bates Leather Co. bags.
The smell of leather fills Bates Leather Co.
p.36 The Pinehurst Gazette, Inc. No. 140
/www.batesleatherco.com
/www.batesleatherco.com
/www.batesleatherco.com