Reporter's Notebook by J. Philip Bloomer

Craftsman lives on in his work, memories.

There's an empty seat at the end of the bar at the Esquire Lounge
these days.

It's in the old half of the bar.  Scotty Stephen never acknowledged
the addition that was added almost 10 years ago.

Scotty died last week of liver cancer.  He was 50 years old.  If you
didn't know him, maybe you'd seen him around.  If you did know him,
you were a luckier person for it.

Like the Esquire remodeling, Scotty didn't think much of change.  For
35 years, he had hair down to his shoulders, a beard, and for half that
time he had a black Lab named Mr. Spat by his side.  Usually he wore a
leather vest and pants, and always a smile.  He owned the Leather
Shop for 30-plus years, until it closed last summer.

Scotty was a craftsman, a musician and fixture in town throughout that
time.  But he'd be the first to tell you he never was much of a
businessman.

"If it was something little, or if you didn't have much money, he'd do
it for free," said his former wife, Maggie Mattingly.  "He'd always say that
the problem was that there wasn't any planned obsolescence built into
what he did.  It always lasted for a generation."

Mattingly, the former city coulcilwoman, was married to Scotty for about
10 years, but they never lived together long.

"We were great friends and co-workers, but couldn't live together,"
she said.  "But I always admired him.  He was generous, honest as the
day is long, and never judgmental."

Mattingly did nmost of the clothing work in the shop while Scotty did
customer work.  The man could do anything with leather.  He made holsters
for cops, harnesses for turtles and lizards, even a guitar strap for
Eric Clapton.  For the coolest sandals, vests, watchbands, whatever,
it was the place to go.

Danelle Jameson, who owns Circles downtown, had him make a leather
domino set for her boyfriend because the boyfriend hated the sound of
tinking tiles.

Jameson said the set turned out beautifully.  "It's the most unique
thing I had ever seen.  Scotty was a quiet guy yet very outgoing and
creative.  I miss him already," she said.

The Leather Shop closed last summer, a victim of mall stores and
Scotty's own failing health.  He'd broken his hip a few years ago, had
a hip replacement and a stroke that damaged nerves in his left hand.

But for years, the Leather Shop and Scotty were unique institutions
that lent life and character to the community.

The Leather Shop was one of the few businesses to arise from the '60s
culture to survive any length of time.  It opened about the same time
as places like Art Mart, Record Service, In Stitches and the Cellar.

It opened in a place called Turk's Head, a rambling old house at
Sixth and Green that was about as '60s as it gets - coffee shop,
poetry readings, leather crafters and potters.  Somewhere around
1970, the shop moved to the block between Fourth and Fifth streets.

During the student riots, it was the only business that didn't get
its windows broken out - a testament to Scotty's popularity,
Mattingly said.

Aside from his leathering acumen, Scotty was also a guitar player
and a longtime bartender at the old House of Chin.  His
best-known band was the Seeds of Doubt, with Jim Spencer,
Guy Maynard, Jerry Farrell and Steve Meyer.

They'll be among the friends attending a memorial gathering on
Scotty's behalf at the Esquire Saturday afternoon.  Contributions
will be accepted for The Carle Hospice.

Bob Osiek, one of the Esquire's owners and a friend of Scotty's since
1969, said that in keeping with the custom there, a nameplate
will be put on the back of the chair where Scotty used to sit.

This time it'll be in leather.  Like his crafts, his memory won't
soon be obsolete.


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