Kristi Grove has been running Tundra Leather on King Street East in Hamilton since 2015. The shop has been there since 1991. Her dad, Peter, built it. When he got sick and passed away, Kristi walked away from a stable finance job at McMaster University and took the reins — even though they never once talked about whether she would.
In this conversation we get into how Peter started the shop, the moment Kristi knew she couldn't let it close, and what it actually felt like to step into a business she'd grown up inside of but never run. We talk about learning leather work from Sean — her dad's original hire — who learned it from Peter. About keeping a physical craft shop alive in downtown Hamilton in 2026. About the workshops that sell out every two months and what they've meant for the business and the community. And about what it's like to be a woman running a trade that still occasionally asks if the man is in.
And we close with the question we ask every guest on The Loew Down — what do you want to be remembered for in your community? Kristi's answer is worth waiting for.
Find Kristi: @tundraleather on Instagram · tundraleather.ca · 313 King St E, Hamilton · Open Tues–Fri 9–5:30, Sat 9–5
The Loew Down drops every two weeks. Find us on Instagram @theloewdown.co