One of the things I love about Radio Milwaukee (and one of the reasons you support us … more on that later) is that we’re do-ers. When a problem or challenge comes up, our team gets creative. It’s a great thing to have at the place I work because it’s a big part of my life outside of work. And, sometimes, it benefits our members (again, more on that later).
Last summer when I still lived in Chicago, I got a motorcycle and ran into problem one: I needed a leather bag to carry my stuff. That led to problem two: Most of them are over $1,000! On top of that, I didn’t want just any bag; I wanted the one I saw in my mind’s eye.
So I decided to just make my own.
I sketched and researched every night. Just a few blocks away from my apartment was the Chicago School of Shoemaking, which has all kinds of neat classes for beginners. I already had a solid idea for my bag, so I signed up for multiple classes and even took private lessons.
That’s how my leather work began. Since then, I relocated to Milwaukee (Bay View) and set up a small studio. Every night, I draw or study or practice in the hopes that in 2023 you’ll see me at one of the many Milwaukee markets selling what I make.
For now, I wanted to do something that ties the thing I do outside of work to the place I love to work. Because Radio Milwaukee is more than a job for me; it unlocked Milwaukee culture and a community that welcomed me.
So I decided to make a different kind of contribution to our fall drive: handmade leather key fobs. Like a lot of our listeners, I put on Radio Milwaukee in my car because it’s a special place where I can be at one with the music and jam out without judgment. Also like a lot of our listeners, I lose my keys constantly.
The key fobs I made might not solve that last problem, but they’re all made of high-quality vegetable-tanned leather that’s hand-tooled and stamped with the new Radio Milwaukee logo, then dyed and affixed with premium heavy-duty hardware.
How do you get one? There’s actually a couple ways when you become a member:
- Backstage Members ($84 per month) get a key fob, a bunch of other Radio Milwaukee gear and benefits you can read about here, and the opportunity to record an on-air message.
- All-Access Members ($208 per month) get all of that, plus an automatic invite to the Radio Milwaukee All-Access Dinner featuring very special guest chefs in December.
The color and hardware combos of the key fobs vary, but their quality doesn't. Plus you get a fun little surprise along with some cool packaging. It’s a passion project for me in every way and the perfect way to give back to members who are just as passionate about what we do here at Radio Milwaukee.
