Few companies demonstrate the power of a true grassroots following as clearly as Portland Leather Goods.

Portland resident Curtis Matsko wanted to create the perfect leather journal. When he did, he sold them at art fairs and markets. Etsy came in 2018. In 2019, he went worldwide with Portland Leather Goods, which recently opened its 15th brick-and-mortar store at SanTan Village in Gilbert. 

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“Our company derives from really just a small dream that our CEO founder had of creating his dream journal,” said Wanda Avon, creator community lead at Portland Leather Goods. 

In 2017, Portland Leather Goods began selling more than journals, but purses and bags, at brick-and-mortar outlets. 

Portland Leather Goods is expanding at a pace that even surprises its team. 

Avon said Matsko frequently says, “Whatever the company looks like to you right now, six months from now it will be a completely different company.”

Throughout its success, Portland Leather Goods and Matsko kept one core belief: luxury should be attainable. Their full‑grain leather — “thick, aromatic and built to age beautifully” — sells at a reasonable price point. Shoulder, crossbody and sling bags all sell for less than $80.

“Nobody can match us for our full‑grain, real leather,” Avon said. “There’s nobody else on the market doing quality at the affordability that we are.”

Avon said Portland Leather Goods’ success comes from its followers, especially those on the Portland Leather Insiders Facebook page. The company’s social team created a “real community where fans of the brand could connect to share photos, trade bags, and cheer each other on through life’s milestones,” Avon said.

Due to the success of this group, many members began founding local versions of the Portland Insiders Group to build connections, host meetups, and advocate for retail locations in their cities. One customer, Jasmine Smiley, was a founder of the Local Portland Group before moving to Arizona, where she founded the Arizona PLG Locals Group. 

“We already knew we had a thriving community in Arizona,” Avon said. “SanTan Village was a no-brainer. We fit so well with the other brands there — that obtainable luxury.”

“We’re so much more than the bag. I end up in tears at almost every grand opening. People talk about these hardships and beautiful moments in life and there’s one common thing — they have their bag.”

The next two stores — in North Carolina and Tennessee — are set to open soon, staying in rhythm with their customers. 

Customers have even shaped product design. When fans asked for an “east-west” version of the popular Lola crossbody bag, the design team delivered it within months. An “east-west” handbag is designed with a horizontally elongated silhouette, meaning it is wider than it is tall.

“A lot of our most popular bags are bags that customers have dreamed up themselves,” she said.

Leather isn’t just for those in cooler climates, as it suits the desert lifestyle as well. Full‑grain hides withstand heat, dust and the daily wear of life in the Valley. 

“To have something that’s durable, that’s going to last you in those 115‑degree weather days. We’re perfect for an Arizona market,” Avon added.

Upon Portland Leather Goods’ public opening, the store was met with lines, cheers and eager customers, she explained. Customers carry Portland Leather bags through births, weddings, losses and cross‑country moves. They pass them down. They remember the moment they bought them.

“It’s like this tangible history that’s with you always,” she said. “I truly feel so lucky to work for such a beautiful company.”