Some people call me Smitty. Most people call me Andy. Lords Luggage is the name of my business. Lord Sluggage was a happy accident.
I learned to sew shortly after high school. I was in pursuit of lightweight backpacking gear. The Ray Way rocked my world.
In my mid-20s I got an apprenticeship at Kern Sails in Newport Beach, CA. I spent the next decade building sails and sewing marine canvas. At first under Kern then under my own banner. I shuttered the business in 2011 to focus on raising my kids.
Full-time parenting was my life through the 20-teens.
Shortly before Covid I landed a sewing gig repairing outdoor gear at home. When the pandemic left me with some time to fill, having a freshly setup sewing studio was a godsend. I began making bags for myself, my family and small circle friends.
The Lords Luggage name and the idea to start a bag business was born from a late-night joke by a fire with friends. The idea percolated a bit and the availability of the URL sealed the deal.
After a year and a half operating from home and selling at events and online, Lords Luggage moved into the historic Eastmoreland Grocery and Meat Market building in May 2022. Our first year in the space has been filled with meeting neighbors, sewing bags, hosting events, establishing the Windowsill Gallery, and a lot of learning how to do it better in 2023.
Watch the shop window for info about upcoming events -or- sign up for our email.
Much thanks to everyone who has participated in any and all of it.
Andy Schmidt
Lords Luggage