Hi There,
I've packed a big stack of suitcases, duffels, and secret prototype bags to go on our big R&D trip around the world. We're on our way and, man, is this going to be cool. I wanted to drop you a quick update before we have to catch another plane. Here's whats happening:
- Were offering flat rate ground shipping for Fathers Day.
- You'll meet Robin Ross, Saddleback addict and newest member of Team Saddleback, for this falls JDRF Death Valley Ride For The Cure.
- We're going around the world (again) on an R&D business trip. Ill be sending video postcards with updates on our adventures to you, you, you, and you.
- I discontinued the small classic briefcase a couple years ago. Think I should bring it back?
Father's Day
Flat Rate Shipping is back for a limited time in honor of fathers everywhere. All orders $100 or more are just $7 for standard shipping within the U.S., $10 to Canada and Mexico, or $25 to anywhere else in the world. Whether you buy a half pound of leather--or half a ton--shipping is the same. This offer runs from June 1-17, 2012, and is for standard ground shipping on orders of $100 or more only. So be sure to plan accordingly if you're aiming for delivery by the 17th. Full promo details can be found
here.
Personally, this is shaping up to be a pretty cool Fathers Day for me. Ill be in Rwanda with Suzette and the kids and our growing family of adopted Rwandan sons and daughters. Most of them dont have parents and it has been a great privilege and a blessing for Suzette and me to be able to call them our own. Happy Fathers Day.
JDRF Contest Results
Congrats to Robin Ross for writing an essay that earned her a spot on Team Saddleback (a.k.a. Team Grace) in this falls JDRF Death Valley Ride For the Cure. I know
it's not a race, but I just want everyone to know that during my rigorous training regimen, I've broken a sweat at least half a dozen times on my stationary bike, and I'm expecting to finish first by at least fifteen miles. We're looking forward to a great day for a great cause. Thanks to everyone who wrote in. You can still support Team Grace by purchasing
Gracelets.
Around the World in Fifty Days
We're leaving today to do some materials research in Scotland. Then we're off to Kenya, Rwanda, Australia, and New Zealand. Somebody's got to field test new designs to ensure quality, right? I'm also going to be asking a lot of questions and learning from folks who are the ultimate experts in their fields. It's going to be
really cool. And were dragging our friend Joe along to film it all. You'll see (because I’ll be sending back videos to update you on our progress. View the first one, and others, on my
blog). Should be pretty wild.
Meet Me in Sydney
Finally, we will be hosting the first Saddleback Family Reunion in Sydney on Saturday, July 7, 2012. Everyone is welcome. Not sure what to expect, but we're hoping its the start of something great. Suzette and I will be sporting some new leather designs we've been testing out around the world. You should stop by if you're in the neighborhood. Details to come, but if you plan on attending, float an email to
ryan@saddlebackleather.com. Australian Family Members, expect an email invitation in the next couple of weeks.
The Indomitable Small Briefcase
I used to make a small classic briefcase (12”w x 9”h x 5”d... yours might be slightly different depending on when it was made), but stopped offering it a couple years back. The satchel was making its debut and the small briefcase seemed like a close cousin. Since we took it off the site there's been a pretty steady stream of emails and Facebook posts asking to bring it back. It's not a sure thing yet, but if we get enough people that are willing to put a deposit down on a limited run pre-order basis, we might dust off the dies for one last batch. Who knows, maybe it comes back for good. If you're interested, fill out our
four-question survey. Again, this is just a survey to gauge interest, not an actual pre-order. We'll let you know the results. If the interest is high, production will take a while. Availability might not even happen before the fall. (Thanks to Mike Allen for the photo you posted on
Facebook.)
Well, Scotland awaits. Thanks for reading.
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