Christian Resiak doesn’t have personal ties to leather. Though handmade fashion runs in his family—his great-grandfather made felt hats—he got started in leather goods out of annoyance. “I saw a poorly made bag that was way too expensive, and I thought, I could make that.” So he did, in his basement, using old leather jackets and a box cutter. And he was pretty good at it. Resiak now peddles his bespoke bags, belts, wallets, and tobacco pouches at his newest iteration of Howl + Hide, located just east of downtown in a 1900s building. He has turned his studio into a buffed-up retail experience with a belt bar, vintage clothing, Fallen Sky western wear, and a small team of leather workers tooling away in full view. The overwhelming saddle-barn scent and John Prine crooning from the speakers might make you crave a glass of whiskey and a cigarette by the end of your visit, but you’ll walk away with a leather item meant to last a lifetime. “The leather will naturally patina over time to show the journey,” says Resiak. Age before beauty.
HOWL + HIDE
1651 English Ave.
DON’T MISS
Workshops to make your own leather belt or wallet.
