About Us

I grew up loving the smell of leather. As a child, I loved the feel of a new hide on my bare feet. Some of my most fond memories as a kid were in my parents' shoe repair shop. To this day, the smell of Kiwi polish and Fiebings dye takes me back! I ride a 1989 Harley-Davidson Sportster (1200 for those of you who care) and graduated from Linn State Technical College with a degree in Powersports Technology (fancy-talk for bike mechanic). I worked as a foreman on a produce farm for 3 seasons. Upon getting married, my parents and I reopened Saleigh Mountain Co., where I'm now apprenticing with them. Mom, being the leather-work expert, and Pop, being my shoe repair guru. The shop enables me to keep my kids with me while at work.  -Molly Monahan

 

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I began doing small leather projects at the age of 13. We had horses, and when you have “stuff” it breaks. It was a natural step for me to just fix things, bridles, saddles, etc. At 17, I was fortunate to apprentice with a man whose grandfather had been a carriage maker in San Francisco. I sold my wares on Telegraph Ave. in Berkeley and Wharf St. in San Francisco. I moved back to a Missouri farm in 1975. There have been a lot of changes in my life. Four children and 40 years later, I'm still hooked on this craft. I love leather as a medium, it looks good, it's strong and versatile, leather shoes breathe, and nothing smells quite like a cobbler shop. -Sally Borzillo

 

Mark Borzillo, affectionately known as Pop, Pappy, or Big Pap, is a rather not so silent partner behind the scenes at Saleigh Mountain. You may find him working on boots, making knife sheaths, talking off customers’ ears and doing general upkeep on the building and machines. Married to Sally for going on 45 years, they started the shoe repair business in 1983 after Mark’s brief stint in nuclear construction. He had a long career in plastics, the absolute antithesis of leather, and loves to be able to spend time with his ‘weird family dynamic,’ as one of our one-star review customers called us. When not helping at shop, or doing other odd jobs, he can be found playing music and working on his obituary.