Meet BC Leather Works

BC-LeatherworksBC Leather Works has recently joined the Oliver Community Arts Council as a business member. Welcome!

You will get to meet them — if you haven’t already — at the Spring Arts Faire. They will selling their fine leather products as well as marketing their repair and custom services. Yes, they have belts, purses, and wallets, and yes, they do shoe repair. But did you know they also make clothing (vests, jackets, chaps, aboriginal regalia) as well as holsters, scabbards and sheaths for everything from knives to rifles to your favourite bottle of beer?

Here’s what proprietor Chris Dricos has to say about his love of leatherworking:

Dricos“As I was growing up I remember going with my dad to his shop in Kerrisdale, Vancouver as he was working I would play climbing in and around the chairs and foot stools that lined the wall for people to sit and wait for there shoes to be repaired. As years went by I went from climbing through the chairs to shinning shoes while customers were waiting and learning how to repair & dying shoes back in those days Ladies had satin shoes that they would change colours. Over the years I would work after school and on weekends working along side may dad.

” In 1969 I met Barb my wife and in 1970 got married. In the early 70’s we sold hand crafted belts to the Hudsons Bay in downtown Vancouver. In the later 70’s we moved to 100 Mile House, BC and operated a shoe repair & leather working business for a number of years.

“From there we moved to Oliver, BC not knowing what I would be doing. Just happened that there was a shoe repair that was looking for someone to do repairs. After 1 1/2 years the owner wanted to cease doing repairs and offered the equipment to us. Barb and I talked it over and Realizing what a gift My Father had passed onto me and that it was something we could do into our Golden Years Barb bought me the equipment we started the shoe repair business. I have heard Barb saying to others it is nice to hear me whistling while I work.”

Check out their link on the right side of the page under “Businesses” or here: www.bcleatherworks.ca

Photo Credit: Jack Bennest, Oliver Daily News