Holtz Leather Co. is opening a new store, The Wood Shop, this spring—everything you need to know

Holtz wood shop — They’re working on something new! (Holtz Leather Company)

Holtz Leather Co. is a Huntsville gem, with their high-quality leather bags, journals, home goods, gifts and so much more.

The Holtz family is always innovating, making new designs, products and concepts. They’ve added product lines like candles, pottery and pieces made from whiskey barrels, and they even opened a new retail store in Madison last fall.

Now, they’re working on an even bigger project: The Wood Shop—A Board and Log Company.

It’s been in the works for a long time

Image 2 edited — Did you spot the Holtz Leather hat? (Holtz Leather Company)

Rick Holtz has been dreaming of a lumber mill since he was a boy, “building forts with fallen branches under the peaceful coverings of mature trees or standing in the lumber section of a local hardware store.”

“Have you ever just stood in the lumber section of a store and experienced the overwhelming feeling to just make something with your hands? That primitive feeling of shaping those boards into something that has far greater value than just the wood itself. It was this desire of creating that sparked the idea and love of trees.”
Rick Holtz, owner of Holtz Leather Co. and The Wood Shop—A Board and Log Company

He was able to channel that desire recently as he was clearing a new plot of land for pasture. He didn’t want the mature trees to be burned, so he started cutting each tree, learning how to convert it to boards and accumulating equipment for making lumber.

“It proved to be an enjoyable systematic process that opened up the beauty of these logs, each with their own story and endless possibilities.”
Rick Holtz, owner of Holtz Leather Co. and The Wood Shop—A Board and Log Company

And now, the stories of those boards and logs are going to be shared with the community at The Wood Shop.

The Wood Shop is going to be a unique experience

This place isn’t going to be your typical hardware store. It’s going to be nostalgic, and their hope is, “to capture a bit of the old days.”

Holtz described what the experience will be like in the shop, painting a picture of friends strolling around the shop with coffee in hand (there will be an endless supply of free fresh coffee in-house!), discussing projects and stories. They’ll pass by a glass window where they can see the manufacturing happening as they listen to the buzzing of the sawmill in the background.

The retail store will be stocked with domestic wood, slabs, cookies and hardware for wood crafting. With a variety of different woods, there will be plenty to explore and experience.

Holtz can’t wait to add to the variety of the shop with “beautiful, unique trees,” and he likens the process of finding those trees to, “a recurring treasure hunt.”

“I recently found an incredible 65″ diameter red oak while dropping off my niece. The tree was recently cut down to protect a nearby home. We estimated the age of the tree to be over 250 years old. What a find!”
Rick Holtz, owner of Holtz Leather Co. and The Wood Shop—A Board and Log Company

And, soon, locals will be able to browse those unique finds at The Wood Shop.

The Wood Shop is coming this spring

Holtz leather wood shop — They’ll have beautiful wood from trees like this. (Holtz Leather Company)

At this point, you’re probably wondering when you’ll be able to visit The Wood Shop. Luckily, you won’t have to wait long.

The new store will open May 1, 2023, and it will be located at 2100 Hwy 72 E, Huntsville, AL 35811.

You’ll also be able to find the new store with its new products online. The retail store is called The Wood Shop, and their online domain is Board and Log (you can find the website here). Hence the name, The Wood Shop—A Board and Log Company.

In the meantime, you can keep up with Holtz Leather Company at their two retail locations and online.