Leather work feels like an ancient art form because it is. To put things into perspective, leather has been around since 400,000 BC — long before many cities were established or paper existed. Back then, human hands were already learning how to shape raw materials into something that lasts.
Over time, leather shifted from pure utility to a luxury wardrobe staple. It became a form of expression — and one of the rare materials that truly gets better with age. The wrinklier, the better.
Beyond its endurance, leather is unique. No two pieces are ever the same. Each one is marked by the hands that made it and the animal it came from. Clo’s General Store leaves a bit of that essence in every piece.
Owner Kyle Closen was on the hunt for a handmade belt when a conversation with a friend gave him an idea that would ultimately transform his career.
As he and a friend set out for a motorcycle ride, he noticed his friend covered in leather — jacket, pants, the full biker uniform. It caught his attention. He soon learned his friend had made everything himself. So Closen asked, “Could you make me a belt?”
“Why don’t you make it yourself?” his friend said.
He was right. Why couldn’t he make it himself?
Back in 2010, leatherwork was just a hobby for Closen — far from the livelihood it would eventually become. He taught himself to craft every product on his own. “It must be deep in my bloodline,” Closen says. Watching his grandparents run an upholstery shop in Saskatchewan, and seeing the pride they took in working with their hands, deeply inspired him.
After some time working as a welder up north, Closen returned to Edmonton. It was then he decided to pursue his passion fully. In 2014, he opened Clo’s General Store. “I always had a dream and a passion and loved working with my hands,” he says.
In 2016, his wife, Dayna Kopp — a massage therapist and yoga instructor with a love for leatherwork — joined the business as head of marketing and online presence, eventually becoming a co-owner.
Something Closen and Kopp want to educate their clients on is the misconception that genuine leather is the highest grade. It is not — it is actually the lowest. All of their products are made from full-grain leather, the highest and most durable grade, taken from the top layer of the material. “Like oak in the wood world,” Closen says.
Longevity is part of their philosophy.
“In the end, you’re going to have a product that’s going to last forever,” he says. Their shop offers lifelong repairs on their products, ensuring your messenger bag can follow you deep into your 80s or your wallet might live long enough to see your grandchildren graduate.
Closen and Kopp are drawn to minimalist, classic designs. Their approach centers on timeless, functional pieces — staples that never expire.
“We make products that can travel with you, they start to hold memories of places you’ve been,” Kopp says. High-quality full-grain leather develops a patina, giving each piece its own personality. In a way, the leather begins to reflect you.
Visually, leather carries a quiet elegance. But nothing can compete with the earthy aroma of fresh leather — the kind that makes you pause to inhale.
Clo’s General Store
Ritchie | 10047 80 Ave NW | closgeneral.com
