Today we’d like to introduce you to MarKus Leather.
MarKus, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
“House Of MarKus” started in my living room on a fold-out table with only hand tools and boxes of leather cuts. Goal set to make better quality products than what could be found on the internet. Starting off as more of a hobby/past time then grew into a “brand” of products. With Dee (my wife) doing all the staining and dying to the leather, I carve. We applied a more artistic approach on our products.
We started attending events as vendors in single booths here in the DFW area, then slowly started expanding into OK. We started working with Leather Masters to partner up at events, as well as Leather Masters started caring House Of MarKus products on the shelves. Dave (founder of Leather Masters) and I started working on his five-year plan for him to retire. Dee started working at the store to help transfer the admin side. We moved to Dallas. Then I moved my shop into the store and took over manufacturing. Closing 2019, I started taking more and more of the jobs off Dave’s plate as I transitioned into taking everything over. As of Jan 1st, Dave has retired and now works part-time here at the store.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
HaHa, far from it. Anything worth having will require work and lots of it. There is a huge learning curve going from a hobby to having a full store and employees. There have been more hurdles to overcome then hoped, but not more than expected. We work on average, 80-90 hours every week. This, while also having three children at home. Lack of free time keeping up with social lives and friends. Stress, overworked, under-payed, lack of free time, etc… but all in efforts to reach a goal and dream. The light at the end of the tunnel is now in sight.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
House Of MarKus was founded on producing top quality products at price that it’s worthy of. We are known for our craftsmanship, quality, customer service, and attention to detail. Leather Masters has been producing some of the best leather products for over 30 years now. Combining these two companies only combines both services and products. Leather Masters is unlike any other store out there. We cover everything from motorcycle gear, cosplay, uniform, leather gear, fetish ware, custom alterations, leather toys, and much more. All this offered under one roof. As of March, we will be in our new building 3x larger than the home we have had in Deep Ellum for over 15 years. Our goal is to become not just a store, but a destination for our customers.
What were you like growing up?
That may be a question that best left to my mother to answer, but I will try my best to not be biased to answer. I grew up in the country here in Texas. A country bumpkin to say the least. Hitting just about every “profile” you could think of in that area. I grew up riding horses, working ranches, training horses, fixing fences, and started riding bulls in the Rodeo when I was 13. I always pushed my learning in every field that I could be working with my hands, from framing houses, poring concrete, welding, building trailers, etc… When I got offered a sponsor for Rodeoing to a saddle maker, I didn’t think twice. There is where my leather career started at the early age of 13, as an apprentice to a renound saddle maker.
I joined the military (Navy) as soon as I turned 18. Graduating high school early, and actually in boot camp at the start of my Senior year. I walked across stage on my way to Coronado, CA in my dress uniform, primarily for my mother (she wanted to see me walk across stage). All that even tho my diploma had been hanging on her wall for the past six months already.
I would spend the next eight years in the Navy as an operator in the SEAL/SWCC teams. Earning qualifications as a Chief Engineer on just about everything I could get my hands on, also spending three of those years riding professionally in the Rodeo circuits while being sponsored by the Navy. Once my second enlistment was up, I decided it was time to come back home to Texas.
Contact Info:
- Address: Current (till March):
3000 Main St.
Dallas, TX 75226
New location:
12620 E. Northwest Highway, Dallas, TX 75228 - Website: www.leathermasters.com
- Phone: 214-528-3865
- Email: orders@leathermasters.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leather_masters/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Leather-Masters-127347370610720/?ref=bookmarks
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/LeatherMasters
- Other: http://www.leathermarkus.com/
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