THE STORY OF CATHERINE CREEK HIDES

Catherine Creek Hides was started by Michelle Steevens. She attended school in Montana and was in a class of 5 other students. They were taught by a taxidermist, he hoped that one or two of them would go and start their own tanneries as there is currently a shortage of them in the U.S.

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Michelle returned from school and opened a small hobby shop. She took what inventory she had to local farmers markets and bazaars in southern Oregon and made a name for herself in the community. She quickly started getting more work as news of her shop spread and soon she out grew her small garage shop.

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While visiting her oldest daughter in eastern Oregon, she found a building that would be able to fit her quickly growing business. She moved her entire operation in a couple of months and has expanded her operation. After enlisting her daughter to help manager her store front, Michelle has started operating on a much larger scale. Her vision for her shop has only gotten bigger with the larger space. She plans on having a taxidermist, leather worker and bone artist on site as well as putting together classes for the local and surrounding communities.