Christie Elite Leather

Shortly after the Vietnam War, my father Conrad Christie (aka. Jack Christie), returned and began taking up leathercrafting. He started a small company named after his daughters, J & J Leather Company, specializing in belts wallets, purses, as well as various other items. While crafting out of his leather shop and the shop of Art Zimmerman, he ran a booth at the Pike Place Market in Seattle. Times being hard, and with a growing family, my father put the leather business on hold and joined the Ironworkers Union Local 86, out of Tukwila, WA. For the next several years my father focused on his Ironworking career and his business became a hobby that ran out of a fifth wheel trailer and an old chevy pickup truck.

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While working iron, my father realized that he wasn't able find decent tool holders.  All the holders on the market wouldn't last, or meet the quality he needed, or wanted.  He decided to start making his own holders.  The other workers at the job started taking notice of his holders he made and wanted to know where to find them.  My father started to sell his holders at the end of each work week, and would make a new set over the weekend, repeating the cycle.  Reps at the union hall had taken notice, and our tool holders were made available to the Local 86 members, and with the increasing demand for our products, our first customers and hub for distribution became the Local 86 Union Hall and the Apprenticeship. Our products came to be known as "The Christie Tool Holders". 

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In the winter of 2000, our company was completely destroyed in a fire that leveled everything. The only things that survived the fire was two sewing machines that were pulled from the flames. We thought all was gone. However, we had a true believer in our products at the Union Hall, Frank Cusma. With his support, Frank helped get the business back up and running. A great debt of thanks and gratitude is owed to both Virgil Mitchell and Frank Cusma, for their support, dedication, and belief in our brand.

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My brother and I, like our father, joined Union Ironworkers, Local 86. After some time had passed in the union, my path changed following 9/11. I had felt it was my duty to serve and decided to join the Army, resulting in over 20 years of service in the Infantry. I retired in 2022 and since then, have taken the company under my wing.  Our name has shifted from Christie's and Associates to Christie Elite Leather. Although the name has changed, that quality of the products has not. We are a true grassroots company, that was started by a blue collared family man, an ironworker, and veteran. Our foundation and vision has not altered, we will always be dedicated to providing the best products to our customers.

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