Our Process Part IV: From Our Hands to Yours

 

            Our vision becomes reality and our process has come full circle. Once each dreamed design goes through our multistep assembly, the time comes to pass it off from our hands to yours.

 

The final moment each bag spends in our shop is at the hardware table. Our specialists hammer the last rivet and strap into place, then they immediately begin inspection. Holding a flame to any thread that needs to be finished then blown clean with compressed air. Each wallet and leather good burnished completely smooth. Finished, each piece goes one of two ways: to shipping or to the shop.

 

            Tucked in The Alley of The Virginia Beach Vibe Creative District just a few blocks from the oceanfront is where you’ll find us. Upon entering the shop you’ll find yourself surrounded by an assortment of our handcraft bags, leather goods, and an over-hanging of our beloved plants. Making your way back to our counter you’ll notice an opening to a different room, our workshop. Every weekday from 9-5 it’s filled with the humming of our sewing machines, hammering of copper, and generally lots of good music and laughter from our team while they work. Something we hear often from customers peeking behind the scenes, “ya’ll are having fun”, and they’re not lying. If you’re lucky, our shop dog Otis will greet you with a grunt, but 9 times out of 10, he’s probably snoring under a sewing table.

 

If you’re local to Virginia Beach or here for a short visit, take a moment to stop in and say hey. We’d love to meet you and truly enjoy showcasing our craft. While shopping for your bag you can get a glimpse at how it’s made and meet the hands who created it.

 

            If choosing a North End Bag from afar, we do our best to demonstrate our process and share the atmosphere of our shop through avenues such as this and social media. Our bags are shipped directly from our finishing table. Label printed, wrapped in sustainable packaging, and tied with canvas ribbon; USPS picks up directly from our workshop. Choosing to create the culture we desire, our shop has become like home for many of us, a place we feel free to create and be ourselves. Having a team that feels like family and connecting with our customers turned friends is the greatest part of our process.