Steven Soria grew up destined for a life of leather. His parents still own the Handbag & Luggage retail and repair shop in the little blue Victorian house on Chapala Street, and his grandfather and great-uncle were renowned saddlemakers in Santa Barbara following World War II. The 38-year-old learned leathersmithing by helping his parents, and 10 years ago he dove headfirst into the craft.
“I was never interested in doing what they were doing — I only wanted to make new stuff,” said Soria. “I took the trade they had taught me and tried to develop a more current, functional thing for what people need today.”
Soria formed Make Smith Leather Company in 2008, and the resulting belts, bags, wallets, and keychains quickly became popular, serving as tangible, handmade antidotes to an otherwise industrialized, corporatized manufacturing market. Five years ago, he moved into his own space down an alley near Elsie’s Tavern on West De la Guerra Street but recently learned that the property was slated for redevelopment.