It might be the 1940 M-72 motorcycle and sidecar displayed in the window that draws your attention. Maybe it’s the exposed brick, the matte black walls or even the name – Bond & Bevel – that pulls you inside. Whatever it is, you’ll be mesmerized by what you find in one of Indian Creek Plaza’s newest businesses.
I wandered in one morning, hoping to grab some coffee before work, and was astounded by the shop’s interior. On the right, there’s all the makings of a chic, industrial coffee shop: a letterboard menu, sprawling wooden bar and tin light fixtures.
Across from the espresso machine, wood and steel racks line the wall. But instead of coffee mugs and stickers, these racks are adorned with handcrafted axes, leather flasks, and earth-toned apparel.
Bond & Bevel isn’t your run-of-the-mill coffee shop, but it’s also not a classic leather storefront or an outdoor shop; it’s an honest, modern blend of all three. And according to the owners, Heath and Krista Albers, that’s absolutely ok.
Heath said they had this unique vision for a blend of coffee, outdoor supplies, and leather, but it never made sense in a business plan or blended together the way they wanted it to.
“The coffee has always been there. The leather is fairly new; I’ve only been doing it for two years,” Heath said. “We’ve always liked the outdoor stuff, so how does that all work together? This is the first time it made sense.”
Bond & Bevel began in the midst of the lockdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic. With more free time on his hands, Heath decided to take up leatherworking. His first project was a leather satchel, which is on display at the store.
“Normally people start with keychains or wallets, and they look like total garbage, but this was really good,” Krista said. “We didn’t have a sewing machine or anything, so he was literally punching two holes into the leather, all around the stitch line, and then going back and hand stitching the pieces together.”
After posting the bag on social media in an attempt to show her husband’s handiwork, friends, family, and strangers began messaging Krista and asking for different types of bags and products. While working 60 hours a week as a contractor, Heath began fulfilling orders during his free time. Converting their garage into a workspace, the Albers established their brand, Bond & Bevel.
“Everything was black: the door, the ceiling, the floor. People thought it was so cool, but they were just hanging out in our garage. We sold a lot of stuff that way,” Krista said.
Planning to move to Idaho, the Albers visited the Treasure Valley in December of 2020, hoping to find a town they could connect with and see themselves moving to.
“No one told us to check out Caldwell, but we did,” Heath said. “We came down by the movie theater and the skating rink, and we saw all the lights and were like, ‘What is this place?’ It was almost immediate; we wanted to be here.”
The family walked around Indian Creek Plaza, standing on the stage and looking out at all of the businesses. Krista explained the restoration of old buildings, the construction of new businesses, and the city’s commitment to its history all aligned with Bond & Bevel’s mission.
“There was this newness, but it wasn’t like someone decided to flatten the whole thing and start over; they were restoring what once was,” Krista said. “We design our bags to look 100 years old and we sell things that look old, so this is our brand.”
After choosing to become a part of the Caldwell family, Heath began renovating their space. With 15 years of contracting and construction experience, he took the project on by himself, restoring and reworking the entire storefront to fit the Bond & Bevel brand. Everything in the store was either handmade, painted, or installed by Heath.
“Usually his work was for other people; it was to fulfill other people’s dreams. This one was for our dream, and that was the real difference,” Krista said.
So the next time you find yourself in search of a leather tote, a lantern, or a vanilla latte, you can stop in at Bond & Bevel in Indian Creek Plaza and know the story behind the storefront.
Written by Megan Williams
All photos are courtesy of Bond & Bevel’s Facebook page.
