Moonshine Leather Co.
Fine Leathergoods Handcrafted Here
~ by Karen E. Farley
When high school senior Mike Kline worked as an apprentice for Bill Dillon, owner of a leather shop in Nashville, he never imagined one day he would own the shop and become a successful entrepreneur.
“ Bill told me he was closed from January to March, but gave me a book on leatherworking,” Kline says.“ He told me to read it and come back in March and we would talk. I read the whole book.”
He came back in March and spent the next few years working alongside Dillon and becoming a master craftsman. Kline bought the shop when Dillon retired in 1992. After 22 years in business, Kline owns three stores in two states, has distributors in Japan and South Korea, and employs over 20 people.
Kline and his wife Missy opened the original shop in Antique Alley. In the early days, their older children helped in the shop. The family and employees take pride in the quality leather goods produced. Kline says,“ We don’ t use computer-driven machines or other mass manufacturing techniques. We use the talents of our skilled artisans— one artisan, one machine.”
In 2005, Kline was on the road marketing his leather goods and was captivated with the landscape of Arizona.“ I
Owner Mike Kline. photo by Karen E. Farley was doing art shows in Arizona and saw a sign in a store window that said,‘ For Rent,’” he explains.“ I liked the area and decided to open a leather shop there.”
Altai Leather Designs was opened shortly after his trip out west. The shop carries the same leather products sold in the Nashville store. After their youngest( the couple have five children, ages 8 to 20) started school, his wife took over management of the Arizona store. Kline
16 Our Brown County • Jan./ Feb. 2014