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A Message From Aero Leather USA

AeroLeatherUSA

New in Town
Messages
11
Location
South Carolina, USA
Hello, Everyone…

As many of you are aware, Aero Leather USA is an independently owned, small business trying to succeed in difficult economic times. We sincerely appreciate the patronage of our customers over the past 12 years, as well as the working relationship we have had with Aero Leather Clothing Company, Scotland. It is with deep regret that we announce that our business will be closing. We will be working in mutual agreement with the Aero Factory to contact customers with outstanding orders and make the necessary arrangements for the fulfillment of these orders. Any future inquiries about Aero Leather products should be made directly with the factory at enquiries@aeroleatherclothing.com, or by visiting their Website at www.aeroleatherclothing.com.

My friend, business associate and the founder of Aero, Ken Calder, has temporarily come out of retirement to help Will Lauder (The Managing Director), Amanda Stephens (Company Secretary) and myself deal with any issues that might arise over the closing of Aero Leather USA. Ken's daughter Holly has been back at Aero for the last year or so, and his son Denny will also be rejoining the firm later this year. With Will's son Brendan now promoted through the ranks to become another important member of the factory team the full Aero family will soon be back in place to hopefully smooth out any other issues that might arise.


Kindest Regards,

Mark Moye
Aero Leather USA
AeroLeatherUSA@aol.com
 
Messages
10,181
Location
Pasadena, CA
Sorry to hear this Mark. What a shock. I hope it's your choice and not something that was forced on you. I appreciate all the help and kindness you showed me with our business dealings and otherwise. Best of luck to you buddy.

Scott
 

Peacoat

*
Bartender
Messages
6,459
Location
South of Nashville
Sorry to hear this news. You were always a pleasure to work with, and I enjoyed the interest you took in helping buyers with these fine jackets.
 

Brando11

A-List Customer
Messages
419
Location
Chicago
I've been walking around the house this evening with my new Half-Belt on, telling my wife, "You know, I bet you could shoot me and the bullet wouldn't even penetrate this jacket-" Sorry for the news, Mark. Great working with you.

Best-
-Brando
 

schmitty8

New in Town
Messages
23
Location
Alabama
Ditto Mark. I really appreciate your time and guidance on my first (and only so far) Aero. You nailed the fit and were a pleasure to work with. Best of luck.
 

John Lever

One Too Many
Messages
1,820
Location
Southern England
This sad news for the many American customers and also for buyers in the UK who have had some great buys from your ebay site.
All the best luck for the future.
 

Jack Burton

One of the Regulars
Messages
165
Location
Earth
This is sad news however I don't find it shocking. I don't know the particulars of the situation but it seemed as if Mark was working with one hand tied around his back.
 

Red Baron

Banned
Messages
39
Location
Anywhere but here
I was always curious about one thing: were these jackets only premade or could they also be sized to buyers? It seemed from ebay's listing of this company that the jackets were premade. Did the prices only apply to premade jackets or did Aero USA allow customers to custom size jackets? My guess was Aero USA did let customers send in custom sizes but in such a case would have been as long as going direct to Aero.

Sorry to see Aero USA disappear. It sounds like there were many happy customers. Mark sounds like a winner. I'm sure he will land with his feet on the ground. I hope he does.

Maybe this business closure is yet one more casualty of a really devastating economy. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XxSA...DvjVQa1PpcFOYDj-RIhK75CJp-jF8FfbOONLkslTKNSo=
 

FLATHEAD

New in Town
Messages
19
Location
Central NJ
I was always curious about one thing: were these jackets only premade or could they also be sized to buyers? It seemed from ebay's listing of this company that the jackets were premade. Did the prices only apply to premade jackets or did Aero USA allow customers to custom size jackets? My guess was Aero USA did let customers send in custom sizes but in such a case would have been as long as going direct to Aero.

Sorry to see Aero USA disappear. It sounds like there were many happy customers. Mark sounds like a winner. I'm sure he will land with his feet on the ground. I hope he does.

Maybe this business closure is yet one more casualty of a really devastating economy. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XxSA...DvjVQa1PpcFOYDj-RIhK75CJp-jF8FfbOONLkslTKNSo=

I worked with Mark about 9 years ago on two jackets. One was an Aero Redskin B-3, and one was a
Buffalo hide Aero Californian jacket that I don't see on their website any longer.

Anyway, each jacket was custom tailored to my specs, right down to putting in a cotton, mustard colored
A-2 lining in the Californian, instead of the plaid lining. Both jackets were custom made to the body length I
wanted, the sleeve length I wanted, and the overall size I wanted.

Mark told me that he and Aero work together to give me what I wanted, and that I should think of
the jackets on the website as a "template" that could be changed and altered as I needed. And he
was right. And the prices they charged me never changed from what was posted on the website.

The only additional charge I received was for the addition of the "Army Air Forces" decal that I had
Aero put on the sleeve of my B-3. And that was only a few dollars. But I NEVER got charged for
any alterations, or even the replaced lining in the Californian.

Mark was, and always will be what a true professional should be. If every person who works in any type
of retail business conducted themselves like Mark ALWAYS did, then the world would be a MUCH better place.

I am sorry to hear about this Mark. I wish you all the best in whatever it is that you deside to do.

With your good natured personality, great customer service, and attention to all details, big and
small, you will do great in any business venture you go into.

Jim
 
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Messages
10,181
Location
Pasadena, CA
When I got the B-3 for my sons birthday, Mark included two wool Aero scarves, gratis. I bugged the hell out of him over my 50's HBD, and he never snarled once at the work he had to do. I can only imagine how some folks treated him. It's sad. He indeed had an arm or two tied behind him being the middle man for Aero. But it sounds like Scotland is revamping, so I wish everyone the best of luck.
 

thor

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,009
Location
NYC, NY
I had the pleasure of ordering quite afew jackets through Mark and AeroLeather USA and he was always a professional and a true gentleman! Best of luck to Mark in the future.
 

nevadapd

Familiar Face
Messages
67
Location
Ohio, USA
I'm very sorry to hear this news. The service I got from Mark on my first Aero was outstanding. It is doubly painful for me because I just started the inquiry process for my second Aero. All the best to you, Mark.
 

Worf

I'll Lock Up
Messages
5,207
Location
Troy, New York, USA
Considering the regard with which their products are held here, I expected more of an uproar over this. I'm curious, what was the cause for suspension of operations. I don't know for sure but it seemed to me that, judging by the interest on this forum, they were selling a goodly amount of product at a fair price? Sigh, I guess I'll have to put that on hold indefinately.

Worf
 

Grayland

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,086
Location
Upstate NY
I had contacted Mark about ordering a jacket, but the order hadn't officially gone in, so the order was not accepted by Aero. I was contacted this morning by Aero who told me order was not officially in the system and was told that I should contact Mark about a refund. I contacted him a few days ago and he was very quick to respond, although he wasn't sure if my jacket was in the que or not. Kinda stinks as I have a large paypal balance and was hoping to use that to fund the jacket. AeroUSA accepted paypal, it doesn't appear that Aero (Scotland) does take paypal. I've contacted JC at Good Wear about a Ventura or even an Arcadia jackket from him. He does accept paypal.
 
Messages
15,563
Location
East Central Indiana
Uproar..? Seems to me it was Mark's decision for probably various reasons. Who knows! There have been price increases recently for most all jacket makers...plus longer waits with Aero since certain jacket models were made by designated seamstress's that made some orders seem out of order timewise. Aero is now addressing these issues and revising that system...training new personel..and even bringing back some who were once hands on with the company to help restructure. I would imagine that it hasn't been easy for a middleman for some time.
Now new orders will be placed with Aero and shipped to the customer directly from Scotland. It has always been an ordering option in the USA. Some chose to go through Aero USA and others prefered ordering direct.
HD
 
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Davo

New in Town
Messages
17
Location
NY
Guys,

This is the response I got from Aero regarding my outstanding order. I'd hardly describe this as good customer service.

"Seems, yet again Mark has failed to be honest with you. We've never received this order, much less is it being delivered at the moment.

At the time he closed his business, his company Aero Leather USA had six outstanding orders which were already placed with The Aero Leather Clothing Ltd of Scotland (the Aero factory).

It would appear from the limited information passed on to us from Mark's wife that there are a very large number of orders that Mark has taken and has never passed on to the factory. Orders which we knew nothing about until information was passed on to us by his wife this weekend, and even more orders like yours which we still have no record of, and have to rely on people approaching on.

According to the list of orders which Mark has accepted from customers, your order appears to be one of the orders which has not been placed with us. I suggest you contact Mark/Aero Leather USA to discuss the situation as we will be unable to supply your jacket to Aero Leather USA as the company you have your order with has ceased trading.

We would advise you to open a paypal dispute immediately."
 

Grayland

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,086
Location
Upstate NY
To be fair (at least in my situation), I went back and forth with Mark regarding the specs of my jacket and we finally got it figured out on 3/20. He had even Cc'd Amanda during the process. He said he would get a confirming e-mail to me ASAP, but a few days later he let me know about Aero USA dissolving. I assumed that the order would still go in and I would pay the balance to Aero Scotland once it was ready - but my order wasn't officially in to Aero Scotland yet. I guess my point is that I still believe Mark was honest with me. My order was probably one of the very last ones he took and I don't believe that he held it back.
 

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