Today we’d like to introduce you to Nick Horween.
Nick, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
Isidore Horween (my great, great grandfather) founded Horween and Co. in 1905, which would then become Horween Leather Company. We have always been family owned and run and today my father, Skip Horween (4th gen.) is the president. For many years Chicago was a natural home to many tanneries, as the Union Stockyards supplied them with hides. We are the last remaining tannery in Illinois and there are around a dozen tanneries left in the United States. We have supplied Wilson football leather for about 80 years – they produce the NFL footballs in Ada, Ohio. We also supply baseball glove leather to Rawlings, Basketball leather to Spalding for the NBA, and footwear leather to many companies (Alden, Allen Edmonds, Timberland, Clarks, Crockett and Jones, Carmina and many others).
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
We have been in business for 112 years so there have been ups and downs. Our business is smaller now and everything we do is made to order.
Horween Leather Company – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
We strive to make the highest quality leathers possible. That means that we use traditional methods and inputs and do much of the work by hand. We have made many of our products the same way for more than 100 years. Shell Cordovan is one product that we are known for – it has a process time of 6 months.
Who else deserves credit – have you had mentors, supporters, cheerleaders, advocates, clients or teammates that have played a big role in your success or the success of the business?
Our employees deserve the credit. Many of our craftsmen have been with us for more than 20 years and we rely heavily on their expertise and experience.
Contact Info:
- Address: 2015 N Elston Ave Chicago, IL 60614
- Website: www.horween.com
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