Henrico Small Business Spotlight: Preau Leather Goods & Accessories

If leather tells a story, consider Jasmine Grier a storyteller. The local owner of Preau Leather Goods & Accessories is passionate about crafting one-of-a-kind pieces for customers to enjoy for a lifetime.

Grier has been an artist for as long as she can remember. The grade school art enthusiast eventually evolved into a passion-fueled business woman, but her path to professional leatherwork took time. It all began when she made a faux leather notebook cover as a gift for a friend.

“I really liked how it turned out, so I wanted to make one out of real leather,” Grier said. “And I just went on the internet and looked up leather stores.”

Search results led Grier to Tandy Leather – a specialty leather retailer with locations across the country. After taking “almost every class they offered,” she was hooked.

“At first, it was a little bit of a learning curve, like choosing the right leather for the right projects,” Grier said. “I didn't get really good with it – with a project that I wanted to show off to somebody – until I did at least a year of practice.”

With the encouragement of early happy customers, Grier decided to take the leap and start a full-fledged business in April 2021. She settled on the name Preau, her mother’s last name, to honor her grandfather after his passing.

“The name Preau comes from my family’s French heritage, but for me, it holds a much deeper meaning,” Grier said. “It represents strength, resilience and legacy – the core values that have shaped who I am.

“I chose this name to honor my Trinidadian roots and the hardworking, entrepreneurial spirit that runs through both my mother’s and father’s families.”

Fast forward to today, and Grier is a busy 31 year old. She is working as a local licensed practical nurse, or LPN, while finishing up schooling to become a registered nurse – all while running her business.

She sells all types of leather goods – think belts, notebook cases, discbound journal covers, purses, wallets, eyeglass cases, passport covers and coasters. But no matter what product you choose, Grier hopes you embrace the “elegance and sophistication” of leather.

“I want them to have a sense of confidence, professionalism,” Grier said of her customers. 

Prices for Preau Leather products can range from $35 to $300. But everything Grier sells is unique and meant to last forever – especially if you take care of it.

“Every piece of leather has different characteristics about it,” Grier said. “So, every piece is just unique and tells its own story.”

Creating artisan goods takes time. Depending on the product, Grier will either choose one of her own patterns or use a pattern from Tandy Leather. Then, she cuts the hide, sews the pieces together, burnishes the edges of the leather and potentially applies edge paint (if that’s the look she’s going for). Sometimes, she even adds extra decorative paint before sealing her artwork with a finish.

“A more intricate purse might take me maybe like five hours,” Grier said. “For a wallet or something, it might take me about three hours, maybe two hours. It also depends on if I'm hand stitching it or using a sewing machine.

“It can be a long process, especially if you have a bigger piece.”

Right now, you can find Preau Leather Goods & Accessories at Painted Tree Boutiques in Glen Allen. But Grier will likely only be there until June – the same month she’s hoping to re-launch her online store.

You can also find Preau Leather Goods & Accessories at various pop-up events in the area. Next on the vending schedule is Ashland Train Day on Saturday, April 26. 

The online store and upcoming events are at the forefront of her mind, but Grier also dreams of doing leatherwork full-time and owning a storefront.

“I would prefer to have a brick and mortar one day,” Grier said. “That would be a wonderful achievement.”

If you want to stay up to date with the latest news from Preau Leather Goods & Accessories – including upcoming pop-up events – check out the company’s Instagram and Facebook pages, as well as its website. 

And if you happen to be a Comcast customer, you might just see Preau Leather Goods & Accessories on Comcast channels. Grier was a 2024 Comcast RISE awardee – so she received a local commercial deal along with a technology upgrade, a $5,000 grant and mentoring services from the advertising sales division of Comcast Cable.

Needless to say, Grier’s leatherwork is much more than a labor of love. With her company’s name as a reminder, she hopes to honor her family as she grows her business. 

“It’s my way of carrying their legacy forward while creating something of my own, blending tradition with my passion for craftsmanship and design,” Grier said.

Nominate a Henrico small business to be featured in the Henrico Small Business Spotlight by e-mailing us here.