One look at a belt or buckle from Maida’s Belts & Buckles, and you’ll see that exquisite craftsmanship is not a lost art. Every customized piece is made by hand, made to last, with a reverence for tradition and commitment to quality passed down through four generations.

From One Generation

In 1906, John Laureto Maida landed a job repairing shoes in downtown Houston, Texas. It was an opportunity with promise, just what the young man from Sicily had come to America to find. With training and time, John became a cobbler—a true leather craftsman who poured patience, skill, and devotion into every pair of shoes he touched. Within the next few years, the master cobbler opened Maida & Cuccia Shoe Repair and a legacy of craftsmanship was born.

To The Next

Three generations later, John’s great grandson Jason Maida became a leather apprentice in the family business known today as the Houston Shoe Hospital. To no one’s surprise, the young high schooler had a penchant for the trade and enjoyed making boots and belts for his friends. But for Jason, leatherwork was just the beginning. He had a deep admiration for vintage belt buckles too and spent hours combing through Houston’s antique shops studying buckle origins, silversmith markings, and designs. Before long, a collection formed and with it an idea for a family business of his own. In 1990, Jason opened Maida’s Belts & Buckles offering an array of handcrafted belts and engraved heirloom buckles.

Today, the Maida legacy lives on in the exquisite belts and buckles worn with pride by devotees from around Houston, across the country, and as far away as Australia, Japan and Uruguay. While others manage inventory, Maida’s Belts & Buckles continues hand crafting one belt, one buckle, at a time—each as individual as its owner, each with a story to tell.