New local business: Hope College grads open leather footwear shop in Saugatuck

SAUGATUCK — There's yet another new business in Saugatuck, this one focused on high-quality, handsewn leather footwear.

It's a specific niche, but it's a journey that began at Hope College for Gavin Midlam and Casey Rutledge. After graduation, Midlam went on to design footwear at Adidas and Rutledge introduced neurofeedback technology to athletes across the NBA.

The idea to start their own business venture came six years later, when the pair met and connected with industry powerhouses.

It’s been over two years since the duo's first prototype was handsewn in a basement. Since then, production has grown from a small factory in Dexter, Maine, to the leather and footwear capital of North America in León, Mexico.

“ The House of Leon was born out of a need and desire to turn back the clock in terms of how we approach the design, material selection and manufacturing process of footwear,” Midlam said.

“It’s our desire to revitalize what has unfortunately become a dying art — the creation of handsewn, quality leather footwear.”

It's been a year since the business owners adopted the space at 73 Butler St. as a design studio. This summer, it evolved into a storefront, allowing the two to better connect with customers.

“We’ve tried to create a space that is both functional and indicative of our brand’s personality,” Midlam said. “This space has become one of our favorite dynamics of the business, as it’s allowed us to meet, interact and gain valuable insight from the community and their relationship with our products.”

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There’s no place they’d rather be than West Michigan.

"It just feels really natural being back in this community,” Midlam said. “We love this place and we love the people around us, so being able to start a business here, with the desire of pouring back into it, is a gift.”

Learn more at thehouseofleon.com .

— Contact reporter Austin Metz at ametz@hollandsentinel.com.

This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: New local business: Hope College grads open leather footwear shop in Saugatuck