Leather is profitable
By RICHARD MURPHY Kansan Staff Writer
Primarily Leather is a place where you can purchase JC shoes, $25 leather vests, and leather belts, and leather watchbands, and even leather coasters.
Photo by Mike Rieke
And while you're browsing you can listen to Bob Dylan or just watch skilled hands make their unique product.
Primarily Leather, 812 Massachusetts, is the only store of its kind between Chicago and Denver. Stop by and you'll discover that a pair of quality sandals takes two hours to make, but you'll probably have to wait two weeks for delivery.
Mark Shelton, Prairie Village senior and owner of Primarily Leather estimated he's had orders for 500 pairs of sandals since January.
Successful cobbler
Shelton said in the last two months he's spent 12 hours a day in the shop because of the rush. "I guess you could say business is good," he said.
Developing an interest in leather products is something that happened spontaneously, Shelton said. "I met a guy out in California a few years ago who showed me what to do and tools to buy and from that day on I've been making sandals."
Mark Shelton, Prairie Village senior, hammers on sandal straps.
Shelton added he received so many requests for sandals from friends that he decided it could be profitable. "The store has been real successful," he said.
Kent Flury, Overland Park sophomore and Kent Benjamin, Wichita and former KU student both work with Shelton and agree the hours are long, but the pay is good. "I work 60 to 70 hours a week," Benjamin said, "but I enjoy the work because it's skillful and I'm working with people I like."
May 2
1969 KANSAN 9
The sandal-making process starts when the customer wanders in and requests a certain
style, Shelton explained. "We immediately draw an outline of both feet on paper and make sure the base of the sandal covers the foot perfectly."
the base is a heavy latigo cowhide. The rest of the sandal
is a softer type of leather which is fastened to the base according to the style the customer selected. "All the work is done by hand," Shelton said, "except for the initial cutting of the base, which is a machine cut."
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