Tennessee Tanning Company

Terry Kennemer would remind you of a chef. He can talk about intricate recipes and what they produce off the top of his head. Like many good chefs, he won’t tell you all of the ingredients. However, it’s not a gourmet meal that he’s enthusiastically describing, but rather a signature piece of leather. Terry is the head tanner for Tennessee Tanning Company. A second generation employee, he’s worked there for 42 years. To understand Terry’s leather, you have to know about the tannery.

The Soesby family started The Appalachian Tanning Company in Tullahoma, Tennessee, in 1946. They made leather jackets from