Inside Napa’s Hide & Leather House |
A local warehouse connects everyday makers with Napa’s leather heritage |
A Napa shopping trip can lead somewhere quite different from a tasting room or a boutique: a warehouse filled with leather.
At The Hide & Leather House, the shelves hold materials for makers, repair projects, interiors, and businesses whose finished products may travel far beyond the valley.
The company’s own history dates its service to the trade to 1979, and it says it stocks more than 3,000 leather styles.
A connection to an older Napa industry
Leather has a place in Napa’s story that can be easy to overlook today.
In its account of local tanning history, the business describes its beginnings as a factory outlet for Napa’s two tanneries.
Those tanneries later closed; the company now sources and imports leather and arranges contract tanning.
That distinction matters: today’s warehouse carries on the local trade without being a surviving tannery.
Materials for more than one kind of maker
The Hide & Leather House organizes its selection around uses including upholstery, footwear, garments, bags, belts, and saddlery.
Its accessories, tools, and hardware extend the selection beyond hides, with items such as leather lace, buckles, and zippers.
For someone planning a project, that makes it a place to start with the material rather than a finished purchase.
What to know before buying
You do not need a wholesale account: the company’s buying guide confirms that retail customers can order too.
Leather is priced by the square foot but sold by the hide or side, with a minimum purchase of one hide or side.
The business does not cut hides to order or sell partial hides, so a small project may require more material than you expected.
Samples are available, which can help narrow down a color or finish before a larger purchase.
The warehouse is at 595 Monroe Street, Napa.
The current website lists walk-in hours of 8 a.m.–4 p.m., Monday through Friday; check holiday changes before visiting.
For product questions or pickup arrangements, call 707-255-6160.
Bring your project requirements and measurements, and leave time to compare your options. |
12 Comments
Join the conversation
Three thousand styles is a lot to choose from. I'd definitely bring measurements and take my time looking around.
Do they have leather suitable for restoring old car seats? I'd rather repair mine than replace them.
I always thought they were an old tannery. Thanks for clearing that up, and for keeping the trade going here.
Carmen S.Same here, I had the tannery story mixed up too. Nice that the warehouse still gives local makers a place to source materials.
Weekday hours only might make it tricky for people who work during the day. Still a neat local business.
Mark EllisThat’s a good point. I wonder if they ever offer appointments outside the regular hours for people who can’t get there on a weekday.
Glad they sell samples. Color can look so different online, especially with leather.
Jessie K.Absolutely. I once ordered upholstery leather online and the shade was way warmer in person. Samples save a lot of guesswork.
My dad used to make belts and would have loved a place with buckles and leather lace all in one spot.
The one-hide minimum is good to know. I was hoping to patch a small chair, but I probably don't need that much leather.
I didn't realize Napa had two tanneries. Would be interesting to know where they were.
I've driven past Monroe Street for years and never knew this place was there. Might finally try making a leather bag.