Artisanal leather in Hayes Valley.
There’s a new neighbor in Hayes Valley and his name is Will — Will’s Leather Goods, to be exact. It’s an artisanal leather shop founded by Will Adler, a Detroit native who worked as a Hollywood sitcom actor until the Screen Actors Guild strike of 1981. To make money that year, he began selling “Rainbow Belts” on the Venice Beach boardwalk. The company grew, and when he moved to Eugene, Ore., with his family in 1992, he sold the concern and created Bill Adler Studios, creating accessories for Levi’s, Calvin Klein and Dockers. In 2004, Will Leather Goods was born. In his global travels, Adler sources the work of artisans in India, Africa, Bali, Thailand and Mexico, and uses found objects. The 2,000 square-foot space, designed and renovated by Adler with Jim Maxwell of Architects II, a San Francisco firm, contains various collections created by the brand, including a signature collection with leather bags that require 159 steps to make; a Oaxacan collection of totes made with hand-loomed textiles; wallets, hats and shoes. Antiques that give the store extra character are also available for purchase, including vintage Coca-Cola signs, Oaxacan rugs and a Native American canoe turned into a light fixtures. The visual delights are complemented by something to whet your actual tastebuds, free coffee by Tailored Coffee Roasters, also of Eugene.
Shop: 568 Hayes St., S.F. 11 a.m.-7 p.m. daily. (415) 690-1188, www.willleathergoods.com