Masada leather is an Athens local legend specializing in leather goods. It's been around for a very long time! Irvin makes the best quality leather goods and it shows in his perfected craft! Highly recommend stopping buy the studio to see what he has in store for sale from belts, wallets, boots, watches, purses and more. If your looking for repairs or a custom job make to sure remember that quality work takes a little time! MASADA leather! read more

I have purchased a few items from Masada over the years, such as belts, a wallet, and a briefcase. Great store with quality merchandise. I did have an issue with a wallet. Irvin, the manager, took a look at it and agreed it was defective. He gave me a new one without any further discussion. read more

My wife purchased a wallet for me for Christmas. After using for 3 months the stitching was coming apart. She returned to the store and exchanged with a new one the wallet was not available at the time so had to wait to receive. Once we received the replacement we were told that they would not replace again because they believed that i over stuffed my wallet. This is not the case i carry little to no cash on me and only have 4 cards and a license in wallet at most times. I refused to even use the wallet and ask my wife to return it due to fact that it was bound to happen again. She attempted to return it in new condition. She was refused a refund. We will not do business with this company again. Also we have several friends and family that will no longer purchase items from them because of this. read more

This review applies only to their shoes. Can't comment on anything else. Went in for a pair of Merrell Road Glove running shoes. Tried on a pair and wanted to take them for a jog around the block. If you're a runner you know this isn't unusual -- jogging a little to check out a shoe's fit and feel is standard procedure at any reputable running shoe store. The manager looked at me like I was nuts. No dice. And no, I couldn't take them home and try them on a treadmill, either, since they were on sale -- all sales final. I had to politely turn around, put away my wallet, and leave. At least now I know which size I take -- I'll buy them online instead. Zappos doesn't have a problem with returns. If you're a runner looking for shoes, I don't recommend shopping at Masada. They don't have a clue. read more

BEWARE!!!! DO NOT BUY ANYTHING FROM MASADA LEATHER! I bought a pair of Dan Post boots while on vacation. Within the second time of wearing them, I noticed that the entire inside of one of the boots was ripped to shreds and both boots were also tearing at the seams at the top of the boots. When I took them in to get this taken care of, the owner came out to help. He agreed that this should not happen and that within two days, I did not do anything to ruin the shoes. He asked for my address so he could send the boots back and then send out a new pair to California. I asked what we would do if the new boots don't fit, or if they fall apart again, which seemed like a very real possibility. His response was that we would keep doing the same thing, sending the boots back, and then getting another pair sent to me, until something worked. After thinking about this overnight, I decided that it was not worth the time or effort it would take to find a pair that fit and did not rip or tear by sending packages across the country back and forth. When I asked if he could just refund me the money so he could either get the money back from Dan Post, or get a new pair to sell in their store, the owner started yelling at me and said that he would just send them to California anyway and I could deal with it on my own. He did not care about my concerns and did nothing at all to help find a good solution. He chewed me out for about 5 minutes straight and as soon as I started to talk, he hung up on me. NO REPUTABLE BUSINESS would care about their customers less, and their bottom line more. He was the rudest person I have ever dealt with, and being in technology sales, I deal with some extremely rude people. I wish I had seen the other review here before going into the store, and it seems that this is the way they treat all customers. DO NOT EVER BUY ANYTHING FROM MASADA LEATHER! read more

What a wonderful and unique store. So many things you just done find any where else. Even on Game day Ala vs GA (RTR) the store was packed Irvin was ready to assist everyone with his warm smile and welcoming personality. Keep up the good work. read more

MMMMMM, THE LOOK AND SMELL OF LEATHER! Policies aside, this is one of the coolest stores in downtown Athens. It is a leather store that also sells outdoor items, like jackets and boots. I just love the look, feel and smell of leather and this store certainly delivered. They had wallets, bags, belts and portfolio covers that were custom made by the owners. I love that his "workshop" was behind the counter and very visible so that customers could see work in process. In this store you will find clothing for children, men and women. If you like beautiful quality leather boots, (dress, western, ropers), they have these options available and you can also commission custom items as well. It is a wonderful store to browse and explore however, when it comes to purchasing expensive and high-end items you must be aware of the store's reputation and policies for returns or exchanges. In these cases, customer service means everything and according to the other reviews, this store is lacking in this area. So proceed cautiously. *** I took a photo of the beautiful Born boot that I really liked just to follow up because I do not purchase from stores with no return policies. The boot was priced at $235 in the store but is $139 on line with free shipping and free returns. Shop wisely! read more

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No stars would be the best rating! I can see why the ratings are so low! I have been wearing a blank (no brand) belt from Masada that I loved. It was 10 years old. I saved up enough money to buy a new one. I picked out a blank I liked and had it sized on the spot. I tried it on but did not see the brand that was added. Never asked for the brand and the way I wear my belt, it is upside-down. The owners solution was for me to change my habit and wear the belt in the opposite direction or he could cover the brand with another piece of leather. Tacky and worse than an upside down brand I did not ask for. The best solution was to recut me a belt and leave it blank. Nothing wasted but a few minutes of the owners time. The returned belt could have easily been turned into a variety of handmade leather items sold in the store to recoup the cost of great service. Instead, I have a belt I am not proud to wear and the owner has another bad rating. read more

Masada has the worst customer service and rudest employees. If Masada was in a city where people had the option to purchase the same merchandise at a different location, they most certainly would. The owners should wake up everyday and be thankful this store is in Athens Ga, because it would not survive elsewhere. read more

Pretty interesting store-- leather and high dollar outdoorsy fashions (ala Northface and so forth), but was surprised to find out they don't allow you to return purchases for a refund. Say what?! What kind of store in this day and age won't allow returns? Yeah, you can return "for store credit," but don't expect to get your money back if, say, for example, you buy an apparel gift for someone and it doesn't fit. "The policy is on your receipt," I was told. "But I got the receipt after I made the purchase," I replied. "Well, the policy is on this little sign right here by the register." Crazy. Maybe it's just me, but I think folks should get better customer service, especially considering the premium they charge for the "high end" goods they sell at this store. read more

I bought sandals from there and they broke within 8 months, boo! Especially considering the price. Maybe their custom made stuff is better quality, but it also gets incredibly expensive. Not too impressed with the customer service. read more

This is a great store in an amazing location. I found a beautiful leather bag that was one of many gorgeous bags, belts, wallets, etc. that are made on site. I had wanted to change the strap so it would be adjustable and a member of the staff worked with me on the spot! So friendly and helpful. He even made it so I got to keep the cool vintage brass rings that were already on it. Great handmade products, the best in outdoor goods- a beautiful shop with a great staff. Don't miss it! read more

Great selection! Great people! Their inventory is top notch - only the best. Best styles, best quality. Definitely a great place to shop.

I have long been a fan of the gang at Masada and consider it a required stop whenever I visit downtown. I have always liked the clothing and shoes they carry but just recently started to take advantage of the custom leather products that put this place on the map. A few weeks ago I got a great belt that I know will last forever. I liked the belt so much, in fact, that I asked if they could make me a custom dog collar. Instead of laughing me out of the store, the owner spent considerable time going over design and leather choices with me and even called me a few days later to clarify a few things. Obviously the collar came out awesome and I plan on getting another one for my other dog soon. I highly recommend this place for anyone looking for shoes or outdoor stuff in Athens. For leather stuff I would strongly recommend against going anywhere else. They have pretty much everything you can imagine, but if they don't I bet they will make it for you. read more

If you're looking for a great belt this is the place. I'm from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Canada and bought a belt at Masada a couple years ago while visiting Athens. It is the best belt I've ever owned! I wear it everyday and it still looks as good as the day I bought it, no cracks, no torn buckle holes like other department store belts. They measure it to fit, you can choose your buckle, it's fantastic. I got a second one made this past week in another color. They also made a beautiful dog collar for us as well, which I know will last forever! Awesome workmanship, really nice store and great service. Highly recommend Masada to everyone I know. read more

I went to Masada's with a last minute request for a custom guitar strap and really not too sure of what i wanted exactly. After speaking with Irvine,he discovered this was a Birthday Gift and he said, " I'm going to make this happen for you!" I quickly became confident that this guitar strap was going to be an absolute piece of art. When I picked it up it was the most perfect strap I have ever seen and the detail and care he put into it captured my Boyfriend's personality and interest in ways I never imagined a strap could. Huge shout out to Irvine and Masada's for the quality,craftsmanship and pride you take in your work. Thank You!! I was a 1st time customer and will be returning . read more

The art of customer service is dead at Masada Leather. It's been a long time since I was spoken down to by a twenty-something year old with an attitude and a sense of authority. Welcome home to Athens. Having purchased this belt at Masada a few years back, I thought I'd drop back in and have another hole punched in it. I have managed to lose 20+ pounds and this, I thought, would be a small victory in itself. The manager these days is a young man with an air about him that exudes confidence bordering on self-righteousness. I asked him if he could possibly take the time to punch another hole in my belt. "Could I? Or Would I?" he replied. As the son of an English teacher, I'm used to grammatical corrections in my speech. I'm just not used to catching them from someone fifteen years younger than me - let alone someone with whom I am conducting business. After looking at my belt...let's just call him "Graham"....decided that he should cut a few inches off the buckle-end as opposed to simply punching another hole. This way, the buckle would line up in the middle of the holes as opposed to the very end. "You're the pro" I said, and off came the end of the belt. Fifteen minutes later he's done and admiring his own handy work. It did look good I must say. However, when I put the belt back on, I had to suck it in a bit to get it to latch...on the first hole. Graham assured me that the belt would stretch out and it would settle in the middle eventually. Not the case. The belt is worn and already stretched. I told Graham of my concerns with the buckle only making it to the first hole. He said to wear it a few days, and let the stretching happen. The store had a few other customers at this point, so I left, hoping that it would somehow miraculously fix itself. No such luck. A week later I returned to Masada Leather to find Graham, once again, manning the captains stage behind the register. I showed him the belt, and explained that I was not happy with it. If I happen to gain five pounds over the holidays this year, I won't even be able to wear it at all. Plus, it makes me look like I am outgrowing my pants, just the opposite of what I'm going for. Ha Ha - but still a very valid concern in the world of belts, right? Should be. Graham told me that had to consult the owner Irv before he can authorize anything else. Big shot - call your boss please. He takes my name and number and promises to call just as soon as he gets in touch with the owner. This was Thursday the 16th of last week. Today, Tuesday the 21st, I return to Masada Leather to try and end the saga of my previously loved, worn, leather belt. Again, Graham is manning his post onstage, controlling the action. When he finally got around to acknowledging me, I asked if he remembered my situation with the belt. "Vaguely" with half-closed eyes was the reply. I asked what we were going to do about this. He said that he asked Irv and Irv said no. He then takes the belt and buckles it around a pole in the store and pulls on it hard a couple times; hands it back to me and says try it now. Don't forget folks, the thing is like two INCHES too short now. When it still only fits to the first hole, he begins to bicker with me. "You're the guy that sat right there and watched me fix your belt, and then complained about it". I left for the last time at that point. So, now I have a $50 belt that is too short, a story about crappy service in a local Athens business, and am saving cash for my next trip to Atlanta so that I can get my belt re-made by a quality leather store. I promise you one thing - I will not shop at Masada Leather anymore. Unless you are looking to pick a fight with a snotty little twenty-something year old punk, I suggest you not either. read more