Tedder holster sales booming

Photo Set (2 photo): Thomas Tedder, CEO of Tedder Industries, talks about the process of making the company’s gun holsters and belts at the facility in Coeur d’Alene on Thursday. (Kathy Plonka / The Spokesman-Review)

Six years ago, Thomas Tedder was sitting in his kitchen in Fort Smith, Arkansas, crafting a holster for his handgun. Today, he oversees a bustling North Idaho manufacturing business that each day fills hundreds of orders for concealed-carry holsters from across the U.S.

Demand for his Alien Gear holsters and Bigfoot gun belts has surged as more Americans embrace firearms in reaction to a spree of mass shootings and ongoing political debate over gun control.

“And we’re selling more this year than last year. It just keeps climbing – record gun sales every year,” said the 38-year-old CEO of Tedder Industries .

Tedder prefers not to reveal too much about his sales numbers, but business is very good.

“I can tell you that I believe we sell more to the concealed-carry market than anybody in the country,” he said. “From what we’ve seen – external polls, not conducted by us – on Reddit and ConcealedNation.org , it looks like people are using our holster for concealed carry more than anybody else.”

The company runs two shifts a day, seven days a week, with 180 employees packed tightly into three shops in Hayden and Coeur d’Alene/ Scott Maben , SR. More here (subscription).