Holden Leathergoods Reviews: Ten Stories From the Workshop in Dingle

Ten Reviews That Stopped Us In Our Tracks

I don't read reviews often. Claire does more of that than I do, she's better at sitting still with a screen than I am. But every so often she'll read one out to me at the bench, and I'll put the knife down and just listen.

We've been doing this since 1989, which is thirty seven years now if you're counting, and in that time we've had a lot of people walk through the door of this old schoolhouse. Some buy something, some just have a cup of coffee and a chat, some send us a few lines afterwards that we think about for years.

Here are ten of them. In their own words, mostly, though we've kept the excerpts short. If you want the full versions, they're on Google and TripAdvisor, and every word is genuinely theirs.

1. "Things that you put in the will"

Rob S, Google Review

Rob found us the way a lot of people do, by following a sign down a road that kept getting narrower and wondering if he'd made a mistake. He came away with three bags and a wallet, and his wife left with a custom bound journal. That line about the will has stuck with us more than almost anything anyone has said about the work.

Shop the collection:holdenleathergoods.com/collections/all

2. "Has only gotten better with age"

Jack Barei, Google Review

Jack picked out the exact piece of leather that became his bag, and two and a half years and around eighty flights later, it's still going strong. That's the whole idea behind vegetable tanned leather, it doesn't fight time, it works with it.

Shop bags built for work and travel:holdenleathergoods.com/collections/mens-all

 

3. "A joy to use on a daily basis and wear like iron"

Nancy B, Google Review

Nancy has been shopping with us for more than twenty years now, belts and wallets for the boys, cosmetics bags for the girls, and handbags for herself. Twenty years is a long time to keep choosing the same small workshop for Christmas shopping, and we don't take that lightly.

Shop belts:holdenleathergoods.com/collections/accessories-beltsShop women's bags:holdenleathergoods.com/collections/womens-all

 

4. "The quality and beauty of Holden's offerings are on par"

FOrrest S, TripAdvisor

FOrrest's wife spent years as an executive with Hermès, so this one landed differently than most. He came away with a belt he says he gets compliments on constantly, and his wife left with a leather diary dyed the exact shade of Irish green she'd asked for.

Shop the Celtic Belt Collection:holdenleathergoods.com/collections/celtic-beltsShop journals:holdenleathergoods.com/collections/accessories-stationery

 

5. "I'd give it ten stars if Google would allow"

Alison Donnelly, Google Review

Alison changed her mind on colour at the very last minute and we didn't mind a bit, that's part of the job. She left with a cross-body bag, her husband got a wallet, her son got a shamrock keychain, and we sorted the VAT paperwork so she wouldn't have to think about it at the airport.

Shop women's bags:holdenleathergoods.com/collections/womens-allShop wallets:holdenleathergoods.com/collections/accessories-wallets

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6. "I think of our Ireland trip each time I do"

Diana Buxton, Google Review

Diana and her family sheltered from the rain with us on a trip two years before she ever bought anything. When she was ready for a new bag, she and Claire worked back and forth for weeks to get the details right. That's the part of this work that means the most to us, that something made here keeps travelling long after the person has gone home.

Shop women's bags:holdenleathergoods.com/collections/womens-all

 

7. "Surprised me with this beautiful purse for our twentieth anniversary"

Gabriele Chesko, Google Review

Her husband picked the piece, and it happened to come stamped with the name Holden, which is also the name of their son. We can't take credit for that coincidence, but we're glad we got to be part of the story.

Shop accessories:holdenleathergoods.com/collections/accessories-all

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8. "Just looking at the workshop was like viewing a Where's Wally piece"

briofburden, TripAdvisor

Fair description, honestly. This building has thirty seven years of tools, offcuts and half finished ideas in it. briofburden's review mentions totes, belts, coin purses and keychains, and asks whether we run classes. We do now.

Shop accessories:holdenleathergoods.com/collections/accessories-all

 

9. "The smell of leather hits you as you walk through the door"

C T, Local Guide, Google Review

C T came in to replace a wallet the family puppy had chewed through. I've worked in this smell so long I forget it's not the default state of the world, but C T's review is one of the truest on this list, that's genuinely the first thing people notice.

Shop wallets:holdenleathergoods.com/collections/accessories-wallets

 

10. "Very engaging and humble"

Fritz Butehorn, Local Guide, Google Review

Fritz's review mentions the rainbow of colours across the shop, which is Claire's doing more than mine. She's the one who pushes us past black and brown when a customer wants something braver.

Shop the full range:holdenleathergoods.com/collections/all

 

If You've Bought From Us

We don't ask for reviews often, but if one of these sounds like something you'd write yourself, we would be genuinely grateful for two minutes of your time. You can leave one here: Click Here. Leave a Tripadvisor review or Google Review!

Warm wishes from Dingle, Conor & Claire