ABOUT / History
Situated in the spectacularly beautiful wine-growing region of Napa Valley, The Hide House has a storied past in the history of leather in California.
Long before the wine industry took prominence, the city of Napa, CA had a sizeable leather industry that began on the banks of the Napa River in 1869. It was at that time that Sawyer of Napa was founded to process the abundance of raw material; i.e., sheep and cattle hides that the area provided. Soon, another tannery, Calnap Tanning Company was constructed to meet an ever-growing demand for leather on the West Coast. In its heyday, Napa employed hundreds of people involved in footwear, garments, personal leather goods, and glove making. In fact, our sister company, Napa Glove & Safety, Inc. (founded 1888), was one of the first of five customers for the tanneries. So steeped in tradition is The Hide House,that the term "Nappa" leather is derived from our history of producing fine leathers and garments in Napa.
The Hide House was set up to act as a "factory outlet" for the two tanneries some thirty years ago. Ceasing operation in the 1990's, the tanneries no longer exist; however, The Hide House carries on the tradition by sourcing and importing leathers from around the world. Domestically, we do an abundance of "Contract Tanning" of various leathers including cowhide, deerskin, elkskin and bison.
Today, The Hide House offers one of the world's finest selections of leathers - stocking well over 1,000 types of leathers with a consistency and a quality you can count on! No customer is too small or too large for us to help. For those looking for one-stop shopping for all your leather needs, please search through our Website. You will be amazed at what we have to offer! Some of the Industries that we cater to include Aircraft, Chap, Footwear, Garment, Handbag & Personal Leather Goods, Interior Design, Motorcycle, Orthopedic, Saddlery and Upholstery. For both existing and potential customers, thank you for the opportunity to serve you! Our friendly and knowledgeable staff is ready to help. Please remember "LEATHER IS BETTER!" Sample our vintage leathers from the Napa Valley!
In 2001, we decided to expand our business and add a second warehouse to further accommodate our customers' needs. We opened a property in the Los Angeles area. This Facility is located in the city of San Dimas "Hide House South", as we call it, is just like the city itself. It promotes California's Western Heritage.
The now lush green area nestled up against the foothills was explored as early as 1826 and the Santa Fe railroad chugged through in 1887.
Today's downtown core architecture represents the cities western frontier heritage. San Dimas supports many events promoting the western theme such as the Western Arts Exhibition, the San Dimas PRCA Rodeo held in Horsethief Canyon Park, the Miss Rodeo California Pageant and San Dimas Western Days spotlighting cowboy reenactments and a Native American Pow Wow.
San Dimas was chosen to be the home of Hide House South because many saddle and chap makers are in the surrounding areas and because we are within easy driving distance from downtown Los Angeles, the Valleys, the desert cities, San Diego and many other areas.
The Hide House in San Dimas stocks more than 600 types of quality leathers. Our warehouse is a veritable sea of magnificent colors, patterns, textures and consistent quality. You really need to see our inventory to appreciate what we have to offer you. Our location also stocks accessories such as zippers, thread, lace, deer thongs and leather tools as well as decorative snap caps, conchos, buckles, fasteners, spots, spikes, buttons and much more. We also carry the tools needed to attach the above accessories.
No matter which location you visit or buy from, rest assured, we will do our absolute best to provide you with a satisfactory buying experience, whether it's one time or a lifetime!
Rob Deits, President/ CEO
