Northshore magazine showcases the best that the North Shore of Boston, MA has to offer.
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/960054
36 APRIL 2018 NORTHSHOREMAG.COM PHOTOGRAPHS BY ROBERT BOYD What should you do when your wallet falls apart? You could either buy a new one (again) or do what brothers Chris and Jason Angelini did: Start a new company making high-end handcrafted leather wallets that are guaran- teed for life. "It all actually came about because my brother's wallet fell apart," says Chris, who co-founded the Reading-based leather goods company American Bench Craft with Jason in 2014. "We wanted to start a company that solved a problem," Jason says. "Most people can relate to having a product that fell apart at the seams." So Jason hit the bench and made a wallet of his own. e brothers found that their complementary skill sets—Jason's design, manufacturing, and engineering background paired with Chris's lm, digital, and market- ing experience—combined perfectly for a joint venture. But the wallet that Jason made wasn't like the ones he'd bought and worn out before. at is because, he fashioned the wallet, not out of / F A C E S + P L A C E S / READING MADE Two brothers combine their skills to start a leather goods company in Reading crafting high-end products that are guaranteed for life. By Alexandra Pecci multiple pieces of leather stitched together, but out of a single piece of leather that was folded to create the pockets and secured in place with solid brass rivets. It's a design that's simple, elegant, and meant to last. Brothers Chris (left) and Jason Angelini make high-end handcrafted leather wallets at their Reading-based leather goods company.