The team behind Eagle Leather has issued an appeal to the queer community and local shoppers after their long-running Abbotsford base was placed on the market. Operating since 1994 and established at 80 Hoddle Street in 2010, the leatherwear maker describes its situation as uncertain because the entire property package that includes their workshop is for sale. Although the business still has a couple of years left on its lease, the owners warn that several neighbouring businesses have leases that run out in early 2029 with no extension options, raising the possibility of relocation.
In public comments, owners BJ (and partner Shane, who helped buy the business in 2010) and the Eagle Leather team said this is not the first time their home has been threatened. They recalled the 2026 listing that was later withdrawn, a period marked by stress and worry for staff and customers. The team says they cannot afford to acquire the whole building alone because the sale is being handled as a package, with the likely price point well above $10 million. For now, they stress that Hoddle Street remains their base and they will continue trading.
The store’s footprint and identity
Eagle Leather occupies roughly a quarter of the building footprint at 80 Hoddle Street, and the business has built a reputation that extends well beyond Melbourne. Visitors and customers have come from across Australia and internationally to buy bespoke leatherwear and fetish pieces, making the shop an important node in the wider queer scene. The team emphasises that their presence contributes to the local character: for “32 years” they say the business has been part of a distinctive neighbourhood tapestry, and the store’s visibility helps support other queer small enterprises nearby.
Heritage, memories and the Wall of Fame
Eagle Leather has cultivated tangible traces of community history inside the shop, most notably its Wall of Fame — a display where notable visitors and leather and fetish titleholders have left signatures on bricks. The owners have promised to attempt to remove and preserve these bricks if a move becomes unavoidable, stressing the importance of carrying that history forward. The Wall of Fame acts as more than decoration; it is a symbol of continuity and belonging that the team hopes to protect as they plan for uncertain outcomes.
Community reach and cultural value
The store’s influence is not only commercial. Over recent years Eagle Leather has lobbied the state government to recognise their site and other similar spaces as culturally significant to the queer community. The aim of such protections would be to limit redevelopment that threatens venues and businesses which provide social, creative and historical value. The owners concede that those protections would come too late to save their current building if it is redeveloped, but they insist on continuing the campaign so that other long-established bars, clubs and shops might be safeguarded in future.
Plans, resilience and how supporters can help
While the owners say they are compiling financials and exploring options for a new permanent location, they remain realistic about constraints. Because the building is being sold as a package, purchasing the property independently is not feasible for the business at present given the reported multi-million dollar price bracket. Nevertheless, BJ and the team have signalled determination — “we will survive” — and are actively searching for a possible ‘forever home’ that can host the brand and its community traditions if they must vacate.
Immediate actions and community appeal
The business urges patrons to continue to support Eagle Leather and the many other queer small businesses in the area that contribute to the neighbourhood’s distinctiveness. Continued patronage, public advocacy for cultural protections, and attention to the issue can all help. For now, Eagle Leather will remain open at 80 Hoddle Street, maintain its production and retail operations, and keep followers updated about any developments as leases approach their end in early 2029.
Throughout the uncertainty the message from the shop is both practical and heartfelt: the team is preparing, defending the history they can, and asking the community to stand with them so that this piece of queer cultural life remains strong in Melbourne’s evolving landscape.