Meet Benjamin Young | Maker/ Owner

We had the good fortune of connecting with Benjamin Young and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Benjamin, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
Originally for me, it was the option between finishing school, getting a degree & sitting at a desk for 40 hours a week. As my brother and i started talking about business ideas, the idea of making something with our hands really stood out. Since we were both passionate about American made products and that art that has seemed to become lost in our generation, making something with our hands seemed like the most natural fit. Sturdy Brothers was born from this idea and this desire. At its beginning, our passion was to bring a great product to market that was made by us here in America.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
We make small batched leather and canvas goods in our workshop. We use old world techniques and harken back to a time where there was a better standard of quality. For us, the main challenge in a ever-growing, fast fashion society has been the disparity between Chinese made and American made goods. As a company, we seek to tell our story and our methods of making to showcase the quality that is built in to every one of our products. When a consumer buys American made it is at a higher price point investment, but the cash spent goes to a longer lasting, quality product, and their dollars stay in the local economy.

One large challenge for us has been purchasing high quality materials and sourcing hardware. Starting out there was a lot of gatekeeping in the textiles/manufacturing world. Many of these materials/products have become more widely available as the maker world has grown, but we are still subject to wild price fluctuations in raw goods as the world economy wavers. For us this has forced our company to be diligent in cost structuring products and periodic reevaluation of profitability.

If I had to say anything to the modern day American consumer, it would be, think twice about where you are spending your dollars. Opt to make an investment. Spend your money here, on a quality product that will truly stand the test of time.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Thomasville is an very unique small town with a rich history of plantation hunting. The downtown has been wonderfully preserved, and small businesses are booming here. There is a lot to do between strolling the wonderful streets of downtown that are filled with shops, boutiques, and some awesome restaurants.

There is a local amphitheater that puts on concerts for residents monthly, with a newly opened brewery nearby. If you are into history, Pebble Hill Plantation is a preserved look into plantation life from the 1950s, and is a beautiful exhibit of architecture and art.

Dinner and drinks downtown at Jonas Fish and Grits, and Liiams eatery are a must for our friends and family.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
We’ve been blessed to start out in a small town that has a unique ecosystem for small business cultivation. Starting out, we received help from multiple individuals in the community as well as an organization called Thomasville Center for the Arts. Part of this help early on was arrangements for a free shop/maker space for us. The community here in Thomasville as a whole has continued to show support over the years as our business has grown and changed.

Website: www.sturdybrothers.com

Instagram: instagram.com/sturdybrothers

Twitter: twitter.com/sturdybrothers

Facebook: facebook.com/sturdybrothers

Youtube: @sturdybrothers9667

Other: tiktok: sturdybrothersgoods

Image Credits
Drew Baulfour Lana Reneau