I have a penchant for older things; buildings, trucks, musical instruments. Stuff that’s been around a while just looks and feels better to me. I love a crackly old leather jacket or a worn down wooden spoon that’s served generations of samplings from Grandma’s favorite pot. There's a certain charm to these items that only comes with time; each little blemish or imperfection is a memory. When I discovered leatherwork, I had a vision to create items with heirloom potential; products that could eventually become like the cherished older things that bring me so much joy. So I leaned on the wisdom of the coolest old school craftsmen, and I found materials from companies with proud and rich histories. Sprinkle in a little time, and the Moondog Leather Company was born. I made my first leather items in the back of a little house in the mountains of Colorado sometime around 2011.  And although my skills have come a long way since then, I bet those old pieces are still out there collecting memories...and that's just so cool to me.

I love music and guitars, and have a soft spot in my heart for the mountains and the great American West, so a lot of my products reflect that. 

I really appreciate you stopping by, and I hope that there’s something in this shop for you and your family to cherish for generations to come.

 

Ian Calhoun - Owner/Maker

 

Serendipity: A decade after embarking on this journey, I discovered one of my great, great, great(?) grandfathers was also drawn to this wonderful craft. He was a shoemaker by trade who “expanded his occupation by dealing in leather and shoemaker's findings. In 1854 he built 129 W. Main St. in Belleville, IL” which is still standing today. We had heard that his side of the family was successful in business, but until recently, the details were lost to time.  So I guess you could say, this stuff's in my blood.