Our Story

Working for ourselves had always been our dream. We discussed it for years and years (actually about 15 years!) until it 'accidently' happened in 2019 when Jennifer taught herself to make a macrame plant hanger.  About 8 weeks later she was selling her items at artisan markets and Uptown Common was born!

In early 2020, Grant began working with leather and added a small selection of wallets, notebooks, and keychains to our product line that Jennifer continued selling at artisan markets while he was working weekends in e-commerce. He began learning about leather back in 2015 and ended up purchasing a premium leather bag, only to later learn that the materials used were substandard. Knowing that there were better quality materials available, Grant began making his own leather products, building relationships with great suppliers and learning the intricate details of handcrafted leather goods. From the start, his goal was to make leather bags and briefcases using the best materials and time-honored techniques of leather workers.

In 2022 we realized that we were doing so many markets and none of the kind we did well at were near us, so we started Uptown Common: The Market because who else was going to do it? It makes perfect sense since we have extensive experience as vendors and have seen all the things done well or that could be done better.  It's exciting to bring together about 60 high end artists and makers and create a place where they can connect with shoppers who appreciate their work.  

Over the years our leather goods line up has expanded to include belts, clutches, bags and purses.  In the middle of 2023, we made the decision to create another turn in our story as we observed trends.  Macrame got us to this point, but it wasn't meant to take us into the future, so we discontinued macrame and now fully focus on leather goods.  

From the beginning we've found ourselves drawn to vintage and minimalist design as inspiration for our products and also for our vision for Uptown Common as a company. We want to offer items that are timeless, functional, and beautiful using the best materials and craftsmanship; which we believe is a recipe for creating something that will be adored by its future owner forever. 

We are so grateful to have this opportunity. All the glory belongs to God!