It is the dream for many young people to open a store on Central Avenue in Harbin. Two additional young people also believe the attractive location is a good place to start their own business.

Zhao Yulong, from South China, and Zhao Lei, from North China, have together opened a leather production workshop on West Thirteenth Street in Harbin’s Daoli District.

They call their shop “Zaoyin Handmade Products Workshop.” Here the word “zaoyin” literally means noisy in Chinese, however, they want this shop to be a quiet place for them to make a variety of leather products. This is one of their unique perspectives for their business model.

Their products range from several dollars to hundreds of dollars, including bracelets, card bags, belts and brief cases.

Zhao Yulong and Zhao Lei, both of whom are 28 years old, met each other at a leather products training class during their time at college in Shenyang. Yulong majored in traditional Chinese painting and Zhao Lei studied environmental art design.

They became good friends because of their mutual interest in leather products.

In the beginning, they opened an online store on China’s largest online shopping site, Taobao. They also set up a “lattice shop”, a small store of about 20 square meters with shelved walls.

During their third year at college, they found an internship together in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, and at the same time, they helped their friends to make handmade leather products at a store.

After graduation, they spent their time together working in a leather products store to gain experience. In April of this year, they came to Harbin to start their own business with 100,000 yuan of their own savings.

It is a complicated and tough process to make leather products by hand, requiring every craftsman to have an aesthetic sense, patience and perseverance.

It takes several days to complete a leather product, sometimes up to a month.

These two young people are both perfectionists, with a strict attitude toward the quality of their products. Sometimes they will redo the same piece over and over again until they think it is OK.

They also invite people with the same interest in leather products to come exchange views and give suggestions on the weekends.

For these two young men, leathercraft is not only a way for them to earn a living, but also their dream. They are looking forward to establishing their own brand for their handmade products one day.

They also have a dream of one day owning another store where people can have the experience of learning how to make leather products, in addition to enjoying a cup of coffee and Chinese paintings.

Zhao Yulong and Zhao Lei make leather products at their shop. [Photo/my399.com]

Zhao Yulong and Zhao Lei choose suitable materials to make leather products at their shop. [Photo/my399.com]

Zhao Yulong and Zhao Lei punch holes when making leather products at their shop. [Photo/my399.com]

Zhao Yulong and Zhao Lei teach customers how to make leather products at their shop. [Photo/my399.com]