Ambush Leather
Local architect fi nds new calling By Elaine Warner A
s an architecture student at Texas A&M University, Cody Douglas little dreamed that one day he would be discussing double-sewn seams, thread strength and fabric patterns. Douglas, an Oklahoma Electric Cooperative (OEC) member, is an entrepreneur who has been able to turn his talents in many directions. His primary business is closely related to his formal training. In founding Grass Roots Enterprises, he recognized a need and created a company to fi ll it. Grass Roots Enterprises provides design
and construction services, and it is based in Pocasset, Okla.
“I give them an estimate and, if they agree, we get real numbers and proceed. Our company can do design and construc- tion from start to fi nish, land purchasing, construction documents, the actual build- ing,” he says The company has been highly successful and is providing a needed service to its ru- ral clients.
For that reason, Douglas had no plans to
Cody Douglas, co-owner of Ambush Leather, holds his business in his hands. Photo by Elaine Warner
start another business but fate, a friend, and his inquiring mind conspired to create an opportunity.
Hunting Mishap Douglas had a friend from Texas who liked to come to Oklahoma to hunt with him. Unprepared for Oklahoma’s cold winds, his Texan friend complained about his usual hunting gear. One day he wore a leather jacket he’d purchased on eBay. He was surprised at how warm the leather kept him. “I wonder if we could paint this like camoufl age?” he asked Douglas. And the idea was born.
Douglas and his business associate, OEC member, David Roades, researched the possibility for over a year. They fi nally found a company that could impregnate leather without losing the breathability and feel of natural leather. The design is actually tattooed into the leather grain. The fi nished product “breathes” but is water-repellent and sweat- and stain-resistant. It also has a microscopic, ceramic coating that makes it 30 percent to 40 percent more scratch resistant.
The new company, Ambush Leather, began with hunting apparel but the beauty of their product soon attracted attention from another market. A friend’s introduction brought Roades and Douglas to a western store in Durant, Okla. The owner, a retired bull rider, took one look at the leather and exclaimed, “Holy cow! We could make gloves out of this stuff and bull riders would love it.”
Continued on Page 24 JULY 2013 23
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