As A Leatherworker - Where In The US Would You Choose To Live?

[RawhideLeather]

OK, I'm looking for realistic answers here, not something from a nice dream - though if it's good for a laugh then that's fine too. I am thinking hard about relocating and as a semi-retired leatherworker I can pretty much live anywhere I choose as long as the real estate is in the average price range. I'm leaning towards the Sheridan, Wy. area for obvious reasons. Purely out of curiosity, assuming you were in my shoes and as free as a bird, where would you choose and why?

Richard

[AlcoveShop]

OK, I'm looking for realistic answers here, not something from a nice dream - though if it's good for a laugh then that's fine too. I am thinking hard about relocating and as a semi-retired leatherworker I can pretty much live anywhere I choose as long as the real estate is in the average price range. I'm leaning towards the Sheridan, Wy. area for obvious reasons. Purely out of curiosity, assuming you were in my shoes and as free as a bird, where would you choose and why?

Richard

Funny enough, I'm perfectly content where Im at in NW Michigan; the people/friends/customers (all one in the same actually) have been the reason Ive staying in the industry so long. If I had a pipe dream to follow though, I'd travel everywhere and stay for a few weeks to meet everyone!

[Bob]

CANADA.....!!!!!! OH CANADA.....!!!!!!

It's really funny, some Americans, God bless em all. Actually think the world ends at the US border.... hehehhahehehaheheheh

[ETW Grumpy]

Rawhide, I would think that anywhere that has a lot of horse businesses would be a good place. One thing to consider would be are you just going to be another leatherworker in a sea if the same? Good luck on your decision.

Bob, you mean it doesn't?

[Randy Cornelius]

Sheridan, Wy.

That way I would not have to drive so far to go to the show. But there are so many leather workers in the area you cannot throw a rock without hitting one. But I love the area.

But I am content with where I am for now, just wish we did not have so much humidity in Kansas!

Randy

[bcurrier]

Where the shipping is free, the leather is all premium quality, hardware is stainless and sterling, dyes don't run or fade, King and Beard stamps are $5 each, Ron and Jeremiah give their tools away, and the equipment is self-maintaining.

Wait ... you have to die for that. You were talking about retirement!

Bill

[Art]

Hi Bob,

A lot of us (US) really consider Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Texas honorary states, hope the feeling is mutual. All built on the rebel/outcast/fugitive/colonial mentality and similar culture.

As far as a place to go to pursue a leatherworking career, a touristy area with an artist community and with a emphasis on the particular specialty of the artist. These areas are usually on the outskirts of the tourist areas where location costs are not prohibitive and cost of living is not burdensome.

Art

CANADA.....!!!!!! OH CANADA.....!!!!!!

It's really funny, some Americans, God bless em all. Actually think the world ends at the US border.... hehehhahehehaheheheh

[Regis]

If you are looking for lots of business, then near a large city. If you are looking for the friendship and appreciation of leather then your Sheridan idea is probably good.

Best of luck and great question.

[Rawhide]

I live in Fort Worth, TX and there's Hidecrafter's and several Tandy retail/warehouse stores.The LW community is fair, not huge, but fair. There are good opportunities I would think for holster and sheath makers, as well as saddlemakers.

Plus there are no state income taxes. Real estate takes can get expensive if you don't choose carefully though.

Marlon

[tazzmann]

I live in Vancouver, WA and I am not sure exactly what the LW population is here, but I would choose to live no-where else. Some say that it rains too much here, but I say good! That way I can stay indoors and work on leather more and not have to worry about mowing the grass or fixing the fence, or one of a million of other "honey do's"! :D

[barra]

If it were me I'd move to

4051 North First Street

St. Louis, MO 63147 USA

Barra

[RawhideLeather]

Wow! Lots of replies already and some funny ones to boot! I guess I should have mentioned that all of my business is done online so local sales or city size isn't a concern really. Hey, keep 'em comin'!

Richard

[Jordan]

Halfway between Tuscon and Mexico, Cattle Ranches abound, and they make good wine in Elgin. Best part for me is there are not alot of people, still workin on that 5 year plan now reduced to 2 or 3 because it's to darn cold in Utah.

[ETW Grumpy]

Art, do we have to include Texas as an honorary state?

[TracyMoss]

Well, we'll settle for honorary REPUBLIC.

[robert]

if you dont mind the snow

sheridan wy,

fort collins colorado or

estes park colorado

if you wnat to stay warm and like city life, my vote would be for Fort Worth (or west of there),

or if you love open country, dont need lots of city amenities (including big grocery stores or hosptals... my vote would be for Alpine or Fort Davis, way out in west texas.

[rgerbitz]

Don't work with much leather, do enjoy braiding with rawhide thou. Given the chance to relocate and I might find myself where I could sit out on the front porch and watch the sun set over the mountains while I do whatever the $*@% I please.

Cattle and horses would outnumber humans 50 to one on any square mile within 40 miles of my porch. Not sure where that is just yet. Pretty sure that it is somewhere west of Illinois. Good luck with your search. Send us pictures when you get there.

Rob

[Duke]

im a big outdoors kinda guy, like to live in the country on a ranch. so if I had my choice, id live in canada in the same neck of the woods that the stohlmans did.Ive seen a few pics of that area and its drop dead gorgous.

[barra]

Don't work with much leather, do enjoy braiding with rawhide thou. Given the chance to relocate and I might find myself where I could sit out on the front porch and watch the sun set over the mountains while I do whatever the $*@% I please.

Cattle and horses would outnumber humans 50 to one on any square mile within 40 miles of my porch. Not sure where that is just yet. Pretty sure that it is somewhere west of Illinois. Good luck with your search. Send us pictures when you get there.

Rob

I concur that would be heaven. One concession tho. It would need to be within walking distance of a Pub. It can be a one horse town (so to speak) as long as it had a combined general store/post office/pub/petrol pump out front. I'd like to finish up sitting on the front porch in my rocking chair with some form off leather work close at hand. Maybe some braiding project hanging off the porch post.

Barra

[David]

Richard,

Very interesting question. If you notice the responses most of us chose right were we currently live. You might consider that. The grass isn't always greener....etc. etc.

MARLON!! No state tax in Texas? How far is that from Hamilton, Ohio....in rigid motorcycle miles?

Dave Theobald

Edited February 15, 2008 by David

[Rawhide]

Well David,

It's about 1000 miles from Hamilton, adding the bike, might want to tack on a couple hundred bike miles (kinda like wind chill factor, "feels like"). Roughly about 16 hours.

I wasn't born in Texas, but I got here as fast as I could!

Marlon

[skipj]

I think a lot of us are restrained by family location, although it isn't as important as it once was to most people.

SkipJ

[superchute]

how about the black hills of wyo. the taxes are low and not to far to a lot off places. Rapid city is about 90 miles sheridan is 150 , Billings mt 220 for mileage nice summers and a little now in the winter. lots of little town like Sundance wyo or Hulet wyo.

just a thought

Russell

[bustedlifter]

Texas seems pretty cool, although I like the different seasons. I'm in the middle of the People's Republic of Illinois and have been thinking about moving north back to Wisconsin but that seems to be turning into another "worker's paradise" state. At any rate, wherever I would chose to live I would make sure there is a drag strip within a reasonable distance, say, 1-2 miles or closer!

[wildrose]

Delaware doesn't have a sales tax, if you consider those sorts of things, but I didn't much care for it there...