Make Smith owner Steven Soria at the entrance of his new shop. Courtesy of Steven Soria.
Here at the Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation (SBTHP), we love new neighbors, and we have some of the best neighbors here in the Presidio Neighborhood, Santa Barbara’s thriving cultural retail and food district. Please join us in welcoming new tenant at El Presidio de Santa Barbara State Historic Park, Make Smith Leather Co.!
Make Smith Leather Co. Courtesy of Steven Soria.
Stop by the new shop at 135 East De La Guerra Street to experience the contemporary craftsmanship of third-generation Santa Barbara leather artisan Steven Soria. Soria’s retail experience will inspire you, and if you want to take a stab at leather work yourself, sign up for a class or workshop held right in the shop space. Soria is also happy to share his family’s history with this extraordinary craft, and has several tools and samples on display tracing the history of his family’s commitment to leather work.
Make Smith Leather Co. Courtesy of Steven Soria.
Here at SBTHP, we look forward to partnering with Make Smith to help share this artisan tradition with the public through our education programs. Leather work has long roots in Santa Barbara County, and the site of the Santa Barbara Presidio itself, where hand-crafted leather objects were an essential feature of daily life, going back to site’s founding in 1782.
To keep track of upcoming workshops at Make Smith, click here.
To check out more great things to do in the Presidio Neighborhood, click here.
And make sure to visit the place where it all started, at El Presidio de Santa Barbara State Historic Park!
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