The Little River Customs story

Firefighter-owned. Built from the garage up. Still hands-on.

Little River Customs started in 2016 with Dereck, a firefighter and EMS provider, working from a small space and looking for a creative outlet outside the job. What began with handmade knives and leather sheaths gradually grew into custom leatherwork and, eventually, a shop centered on products for firefighters, departments, businesses, and trades.

Today LRC is still firefighter-owned and still connected to the work that started it. The shop has grown, the product line has expanded, and the ordering systems are better, but the focus remains personal: understand what the customer is trying to order, make the details clear, and build around approved artwork, personalization, and product options that fit the project.

Firefighter operating a hose line representing Little River Customs firefighter heritage

Hands working leather during the Little River Customs craft process

Where it started

From handmade knives to leatherwork.

Little River Customs began in 2016 when Dereck started making handmade knives as a creative outlet. Building leather sheaths for those knives led to more leatherwork and opened the door to projects that were increasingly connected to the fire service.

That early work established the approach that still matters at LRC: pay attention to the details, be clear about what is being made, and do not send out work you would not be comfortable putting your name on.

Firefighter radio strap and turnout coat displayed in the Little River Customs shop

Connected to the fire service

Firefighter-owned from the beginning.

Dereck's work as a firefighter and EMS provider gave Little River Customs a direct connection to the people, language, traditions, and department identity behind many of its orders. That perspective helped shape the move into custom helmet shields, radio straps, hats, and department merchandise.

That background is part of who LRC is, why the shop understands the importance of department identity, and why firefighter and department orders remain at the center of the business.

Little River Customs leather radio strap and workshop materials

The shop today

A broader shop with a clear custom focus.

Little River Customs now operates from a dedicated workshop and offers custom leather helmet shields, radio straps, leather patch hats, embroidered hats, department apparel, and other specialty products. Some orders are built for individual firefighters, while others support departments, businesses, resale customers, and group orders.

LRC is also an authorized Richardson dealer. That gives customers access to Richardson hat options for qualifying custom, department, blank, and wholesale programs while keeping the ordering path inside one shop.

Where we are going

Growing without losing the hands-on approach.

As Little River Customs grows, the focus is on making the site and ordering process easier to understand without turning every order into the same thing. Better collection structure, clearer product choices, department directories, guides, and dedicated business-order paths all help customers reach the right starting point.

The shop will continue to expand where it makes sense, but the brand remains rooted in custom work, firefighter ownership, and products that help individuals, departments, and businesses represent their identity clearly.

How the work evolved

From garage projects to a dedicated custom shop.

2016Started as a creative outlet with handmade knives and leather sheaths.

LeatherworkEarly projects expanded into custom leatherwork and fire service related orders.

Fire service focusHelmet shields, hats, radio straps, and department merchandise became major parts of the shop.

TodayLRC operates from a dedicated workshop with custom, department, retail, and business ordering paths.

What matters here

Clear work. Clear details. A shop customers can reach.

Little River Customs is a small firefighter-owned business, not a faceless marketplace. Customers can reach the shop when an order needs clarification, and the site is built to direct different types of orders to the right product, collection, department page, or request form.

Firefighter-ownedThe business was founded by a firefighter and EMS provider and remains connected to the fire service.

Custom-focusedHelmet shields, hats, radio straps, department merchandise, and other projects are organized around the order type and available customization.

Built around identityDepartment names, station identity, company branding, approved artwork, and personalization are important parts of many LRC orders.

Still the same business at the center

Firefighter-owned. Custom-focused. Built to keep growing.

Little River Customs has come a long way from the garage, but the business is still centered on custom work and direct customer service. Whether someone is shopping for a helmet shield, a custom firefighter hat, a radio strap, or a department order, the goal is to make the options understandable and help them start in the right place.

Shop helmet shields Shop custom hats