Mountain Leather Craftsmen

Randy Morris, Master Leather Craftsman

Tucked behind the Wilderness Church just off the beaten path of Hugo's Hill Street lies the Mountain Leather Shop. Home to the finest leather wares and Master Craftsmen, Randy Morris, the shop eagerly awaits guests looking for handcrafted leather pieces.

For Morris, his work is a family legacy. As often found in The City, the talents and craftsmanship of leatherwork was passed down three generation to Randy. The crafter often reminisces of his training days in his grandfather's saddle and boot shop five decades ago. From those fundamental beginnings to his over 20-year career at Silver Dollar City one thing remains true, continuing his family tradition of creating top quality leather goods.

He particularly enjoys the challenge of taking a flat piece of leather and finding the possibilities, adding influencers of current trends and styles. Randy specializes in the personalization of leather. The leather speaks to Randy...the grain, the markings, the coloration...each piece has a story to tell! Using the simple tools of a mallet and assorted vintage stamps, he creates unique pieces of leather art for each customer.

The shop features handcrafted wallets, belts, leather bound journals, bible covers and ever-popular hats. As our shopkeeps like to say, "Don't worry about having an odd sized noggin, because leather molds to the wearer and guarantees a perfect fit in no time!" Hats come in sizes Small to XX-Large, brown or black leather, and wide or explorer brim. They are a practical piece of handcrafted leatherwork that will keep you cool in the summer, dry in the rain and, not to mention, looking rather dapper each and every day. A wide array of apparel can also be found like leather jackets, ponchos, chaps, vests, moccasins and much more in this quaint storefront in The Home Of American Craftsmanship.

Shelby Ruff, Senior Craftsman

Shelby Ruff’s creative journey has taken her from her home state of Ohio to upstate New York and finally to The Heart of the Ozarks. A jack-of-all-trades, Ruff has had her hands on just about every type of craft – and more impressively, is self-taught in all of them. Mountain Leather Shop is full of hats, belts, hair slides, bracelets, key chains, journals and other pieces with Ruff’s creative touch. “I love making hand-painted journals and hats,” said Ruff. “I like the decorative side of what we do here at Mountain Leather. Hair slides are fun to make, too, because I can be creative with them.”

Shelby Ruff’s creative journey has taken her from her home state of Ohio to upstate New York and finally to The Heart of the Ozarks. A jack-of-all-trades, Ruff has had her hands on just about every type of craft – and more impressively, is self-taught in all of them. Mountain Leather Shop is full of hats, belts, hair slides, bracelets, key chains, journals and other pieces with Ruff’s creative touch. “I love making hand-painted journals and hats,” said Ruff. “I like the decorative side of what we do here at Mountain Leather. Hair slides are fun to make, too, because I can be creative with them.”

She recalls a heartwarming experience she had with a guest when she made him a custom painted floppy hat. After, he kept returning to the shop to visit and catch up. “Every time he sees me, he says, ‘Gosh, I still have my hat! I wear it all the time.’ That is amazing to me, when people love your work and are willing to pay their hard-earned cash for something they’re going to enjoy for years and years,” said Shelby.

Shelby Ruff contributes much of the artwork in the shop, from wallets to copper-wire trees and even the nametags on employee’s chests. She is always looking for her next art form to tackle. “There aren’t a lot of crafts that I haven’t done,” said Ruff, smiling. “I haven’t gotten into woodcarving yet, but that’s probably next on my list.”

In the meantime, Shelby demonstrates her leatherwork daily at the shop, where she can be found doing what she loves most: making art for others to delight in.