The Montrose Forge opened in response to a need. A need for a leather and kink shop focused on the community. Together with the community, we both grew. We share values with the community. Values that help make us all stronger. Now, in light of recent changes in our business, we would like to discuss our commitment to those values and request your assistance in helping us continue on this path.

First, we value "community." That word gets tossed around a lot, but do we really know what it means? At The Montrose Forge, it means the people and the ideals that make us who we are. The concept of "community," you might say, is made up of its own set of values. For us, it is support, compassion, and trust. The Montrose Forge has worked to build on each of those values with our community members and organizations. And we think we have succeeded.

Secondly, we value "quality." The quality of the merchandise we provide to our customers and the quality of our engagement with our community. We strive to be a quality business and a quality set of people when it comes to how we interact with and treat everyone.

Lastly, we value "loyalty." We staunchly support organizations and charities across the country. Whether it be PWA Holiday Charities, the Trevor Project, or sponsoring dozens of contestants at regional and international contests, The Montrose Forge has dedicated a portion of its proceeds over the years to charity. In fact, we have donated over $35,000 in financial contributions, goods, and services since we opened our doors in February of 2016. But loyalty is not measured just by dollars and cents, deeds prove it. We are proud to be a small business with under ten employees that offers all full-time employees health benefits and a higher than average pay scale. As owners, Tank and I have even forgone paying ourselves to continue employing our team and providing them with the benefits they so greatly deserve.

With all this said, Tank and I are at an impasse. In September, we had to unexpectedly shut our doors in Montrose and move our store to our boutique, Lilith's Way, in the Heights. Purchasing this beautiful boutique was only possible through the rave reviews and support of the Ripcord management team, but this move has impacted our business drastically. Lately, we have begun to vend at events and bars, allowing us to stay connected to all of you during this change. But that has not been enough. So that brings us to a request.

Would you please help keep The Montrose Forge and Lilith's Way open and keep a small business dedicated to the community on a path that focuses on the values we expressed above? Those of you who know us know that asking for help is not something we take lightly, so please understand that we are not asking for ourselves. We do not ask for just Tank and I, but for our employees and our desire to continue contributing to the community. Whether you buy something online or visit our new store to shop, we need your support.

Thank you for your time in reading our ramblings, and consider supporting your local small businesses, so they can continue to help support our community.

With love,
Chip and Tank

 

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