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RobG
09-26-2011, 03:08 PM
Does anyone know if Mark Garrity is still in business? I have an in-victus holster on order that has been "ready to ship with in a week" for 4 months now. It is paid in full and I haven't gotten a single reply to my e-mails for 2 months. Does any one have a way to get in touch with him?

Rob

dookie1481
09-26-2011, 03:34 PM
Does anyone know if Mark Garrity is still in business? I have an in-victus holster on order that has been "ready to ship with in a week" for 4 months now. It is paid in full and I haven't gotten a single reply to my e-mails for 2 months. Does any one have a way to get in touch with him?

Rob

I've had an order pending with him for almost a year and a half. Luckily he didn't ask me for payment.

gtmtnbiker98
09-26-2011, 05:11 PM
You aren't the first to ask and for this reason I haven't ordered from him. The Invictus looks awesome, but not going to order one.

GGL
09-28-2011, 02:23 PM
Gentlemen,
I truely apologize. I sent out a group e-mail explaining my situation to a bunch of waiting customers and I am sorry if I accidentally left anyone off that list. I injured the first three fingers of my right hand on-duty and it has been slow going ever since. Luckily nothing broken, but badly swollen and stiff enough that I couldn't even pull the DA trigger on my duty Sig for a couple weeks, let alone attempt any leatherwork. The worst part was having the time off work and not being able to work on holsters. So now I am plugging along trying to get caught up. I've been back on-duty for a while now, no problem qualifying; but think I got impatient and jumped back into the leatherwork sooner than I should have. The hand seemed pretty much healed; nothing more tragic than loosing the fingernail on the index finger which still has not completely grown back. But I can't work on holsters for more than a couple hours at a time without it bothering me. The edge beveling and detail molding require alot of downward pressure on the hand tools with index finger.

As to e-mail replies, please conatct me at garritysgunleather@cox.net if you have an order pending. The mark@garritysgunleather.com e-mail address is suppose to route mail to the cox.net in-box, but sometimes this is not happening, peculiarly most often with yahoo and g-mail accounts. I had this problem last year and my web-guy looked into it and got it corrected, but I know it is happening again now and he is checking into it again.

As to the In-Victus holster, I am hoping to increase production on it soon. The front leather wedge is currently stacked leather like a cowboy boot heal. Each one of those takes 10-15 minutes a piece for me make on their own and is total PITA. I have looked into having a local plastics company make them for me out of some type of polymer and they should be sending me sample within the next couple weeks. I am hoping they work.
Thanks,
Mark Garrity
www.garritysgunleather.com

ToddG
09-28-2011, 03:23 PM
Very sorry to hear about the injury, Mark, and glad to know it's just temporary. Thank you for letting folks know the reason for the delay.

DonovanM
10-01-2011, 06:46 PM
Good luck with the complete recovery! I can feel your pain.

RobG
12-27-2011, 03:03 PM
Well it is now 3 months later, with no reply to I don't know how many e-mails. I have even sent a letter with a signed return receipt. Apperently this forum is the only way to get ahold of you Mr. Garrity. Please PM me so we can settle this like gentlemen. I am exasperated by your lack of communication and am at a point of seeking legal action. My only demands are a completed holster which was promised in June and paid for in full.

SteveK
12-27-2011, 05:23 PM
In all fairness to Mark, I've had a lefty Invictus on order for several months and have already sent in payment. Mark has answered the status emails I've sent in a timely fashion. He is a one-man operation who does leatherwork as a side job. I know the demands of LE work and am sure he doesn't have an abundance of spare time. He makes a quality product but we have to understand that like most reputable holster shops, patience is a must. If you don't believe me, trying ordering from Milt Sparks.

SmokeJumper
12-27-2011, 07:55 PM
i ordered the Invictus for my HK back in May 2010. I was then informed that some issues had arisen and he had fallen behind on orders (it happens) but would be contacting shortly for payment and shipping information at the end of 2010, then it moved to the first part of 2011. Then, no contact, no replies to my e-mails to both of his e-mail addresses , no replies to PM's on another forum after recent posts by Garrity, and the phone number to his shop had been disconnected. I have made several attempts at contact this year as well with negative results That has been my experience.
SteveK- glad to hear at least Garrity has stayed in contact with you regarding your order, but quite honestly, I've had 100% better success with my orders from Milt Sparks. If you get your Invictus, show it off with some pics.

SteveK
12-27-2011, 09:35 PM
No disrespect meant to Tony Kanaly and crew, but Sparks has a 6 month wait and only takes orders 3-4 days a month. I'm willing to give a single man shop 12-18 months for a quality product.

vcdgrips
12-28-2011, 02:00 PM
Presuming Rob G's timeline is correct, I would offer the following:

Rob G has the patience of Job and is being much more reasonable than myself and I dare say many of those who populate this board.

He was told in LATE MAY/EARLY JUNE (4 months prior to Sept 26) that it would be ready in a week- That was highly inaccurate in the best of lights.

He sent a registered letter in September because his multiple emails went unanswered. Then and only then, after being publically taken to task, did the holster maker provide an explaination... and no product- despite being paid in full.

Over 3 months later, no more communication and a response to the OP is that he should be have patience as quality leather from a part time one man shop takes time ...really.. when the same shop said it would be ready in JUNE?

The holstermaker has held himself out as a professional holster maker. His gear, by all accounts, is of professional grade. He certainly charges a professional price.

A professional does not tell someone that it will be ready in June and still not have it delivered in Jan. The injury and first line career are completely irrelevant given the passage of time and the payment in full. The holstermaker could have timely communicated any of the following to the OP, particularly after Sept 28, when he posted on the forum:

" I got injured and I have no idea when I will have your order" so you can:

a. wait and I will substantially discount it or
b. I will immediatelly refund your money

Sparks is a professional outfit, it limits its orders and keeps its promises re delivery timelines. When Sparks says 20 weeks, it is 20 weeks max.

Rich at CCC, is a professional holster maker with first line career. He has stopped taking orders on at least 2 seperate occasions so he will not exceed a 6 month max delivery window, all the while doing warranty work and loops etc in a 2-3 week time frame. He does not charge the card until the order is ready to ship.

Raven Concealment went from a 14 day wait to a 14 week wait over the course of about 3 years. They have hired staff to communicate with their customers, they provide electronic updates of batch status and they have streamlined production on their most popular items to drive down the wait time. Even when they were flirting with 20 weeks waitimes, they kept their delivery time promises.

Not to get too deep, but many involved in shooting sports and in the martial art of pistolcraft talk about being warriors/sheepdogs/persons of honor, ladies and gentlemen etc-yet delivery timelines in the holstermaking/gunsmithing arena are missed so often that this culture of tardiness has become the norm.


I get that shi# happens. What I do not get is when it does, very few "craftsmen" issue a heartfelt apology for their failure to fullfill their promises, commit to an action plan so it does not happen again and make it right with the customer via a discount or prompt refund.

Bottom Line-Tell me how long I have to wait and how much it is going to cost. But do not take my money and miss the promised delivery window by 6 months and expect me to be patient. Because when you do that, you are not a professional. At best, you are in way over your head and you should get out of the business. At worst, you are acting like a thief or a fraudster and should suffer the appropriate consequences.

Respectfully Submitted,

David Barnes

EmanP
12-28-2011, 04:07 PM
I'll consider myself lucky that no I'm not in the same position despite sending emails for the last couple of months trying to place an order without any response.

EVP
12-28-2011, 04:34 PM
No disrespect meant to Tony Kanaly and crew, but Sparks has a 6 month wait and only takes orders 3-4 days a month. I'm willing to give a single man shop 12-18 months for a quality product.

It seems that it is obvious on who is running a smoother operation. In all fairness with Milt Sparks they are upfront with what to expect and they deliver on schedule even if it is a long wait.

SteveK
12-29-2011, 09:00 AM
My intent wasn't to dis Milt Sparks. I have used their products for over 20 years and they are a class act. I guess the point I was trying to make was that in the last 10 years or so, the custom and semi-custom leather shops have become so overrun with orders (because they do make quality products) that patience is a must. It's just my personal experience, but I placed my order with Mark last spring, he has responded to my emails in a timely manner, he makes the product that I want and I'm willing to wait what I believe is a reasonable time for that product. Even though my basement is loaded with Raven stuff, I can't stand wearing an IWB rig that isn't made of leather. To that note, I have several Sparks rigs old and new. I've waited 3 weeks for some and 6 months for others. They do deliver on time as they state. Sounds like Mark is a little behind the 8ball at the moment but I have the patience of an oyster. I've got money and time invested in his product and I trust he'll get me taken care of. If I'm wrong, well then doom on me. YMMV.

RobG
12-29-2011, 02:20 PM
Gentlemen,
The purpose of this thread was to solicit the help of Mr. Garrity’s peers in the holster industry, in re-establishing communication with him. It is my intention to resolve our dispute in a more civilized manner via e-mail or phone conversation. I am still seeking assistance in this matter.

I understand the nature of a one man custom shop. There will be delays, and that is the true cost of a superior product. However, it is unacceptable for a product to be stated one week from delivery, paid for in full, and then neglected for 5 months and counting. My expectations are not unreasonable. I want an honest timeline, fair treatment with respect to prioritization, and prompt communication when we miss this mark. Communication is essential when timelines are not met. Lack of communication implies lack of intent to complete this project.

A rough timeline is as follows:

12 Feb:
On Mark’s list for a holster.

12 April:
Details finalized, estimated complete by the end of May.

1 June:
“I fell a bit behind due to XXXXXXXXX, but I did start your holster and it is coming along nicely. It should be ready (provided I don't get any more surprises) by the end of next week.
Total will be XXXXXXXXXXXXX, at your convenience.
I am presently having a problem with my merchant account that processes credit card orders, so at this time I can only take payment by check or money order mailed to XXXXXXXXX. I apologize for that inconvenience.”

17 June
Check cashed.

27 June
“This past week was hectic at my real job: got called in on overtime on both my usual days off so didn't get it finished. It just needs some minor edgework and final finish to complete. I'll get it done this week and e-mail you with the USPS tracking # when it ships so you can keep an eye out.”

28 July
Cut and paste the same post about his hand, production resumed ……”I had your holster just about completed when this occurred. I should have it finished and out to you within a week.”

Unanswered e-mails:
Sep 2
Sep 18
Sep 22
Oct 18
Oct 20
Oct 27
Nov 4

Called the Phone number listed for his shop late Sep. Presumed he was out of business. Posted here to start this thread.

Registered letter sent 14 Nov establishing a 6 week deadline. Return receipt signed 17 Nov.

27 Dec
Deadline passed with no further communication. BBB report filed.

Patience and understanding has yielded no results. Now I will make myself the alligator closest to the boat. Maybe that will work.

As always, I appreciate your prompt response so we can resolve this like gentlemen.

RobG

erk1015
01-05-2012, 10:32 PM
I don't know if it helps any, but I've been dealing with the same issue. I placed my order for an invictus and double mag pouch around the same time as RobG, I can't say the date for sure because I mailed my order in so I don't know when Mr. Garrity received it but I sent it out at the beginning of February. I emailed Mr. Garrity on November 9th to ask where I was and he told me that he would have it to me in two weeks. He charged me for it at that time and I haven't heard a word since then. I've emailed Mr. Garrity multiple times and tried to contact him through this forum with no response, I didn't try the registered mail but since his website says that email is his primary means of communication with customers I don't see why he doesn't respond to it. I used paypal to pay for my order but they have a 45 day time limit to file a dispute or complaint, I didn't know this and only tried to file a dispute with them a few days ago so that was a dead end. I just filed the Better Business Bureau complaint this evening so we'll see if that helps. I just wanted to let RobG know that he's not the only one and if I get this resolved I'll let you know how it turns out.

SLG
01-05-2012, 11:55 PM
I have no business ties to Mark Garrity, and no personal relationship with him that can benefit anyone in this thread. Mark has been good to me, but I too have had problems contacting him. As a designer of the Invictus, I am sorry to read about other people having problems. Most disturbing to me is the quote above where Mark says something along the lines of "... my real job kept me busy...". I know what Mark's "real job" is, and I feel for him. However, I would submit that being a holster maker is also his "real job". Maybe if he saw it that way, there would be fewer issues. If not, then maybe he needs to get out of holster making until he retires., since he does make a really excellent product, and it would be a shame not to have him making holsters again.

YVK
01-06-2012, 12:54 PM
SLG, since you're the designer of the Invictus and have ethical rights on the holster, would you consider contacting another holster maker to make the design available to masses? I have no dog in the fight here, and I feel both for Mark if he is having some sort of troubles, as well as for his unsatisfied customers. However, the end point is that a well-thought and highly praised holster is not available to those who want it. Combined with the fact that there are not really that many truly dedicated leather appendix rigs on the market, getting somebody else to make Invictus available would be a welcome development.

SLG
01-06-2012, 11:35 PM
SLG, since you're the designer of the Invictus and have ethical rights on the holster, would you consider contacting another holster maker to make the design available to masses? I have no dog in the fight here, and I feel both for Mark if he is having some sort of troubles, as well as for his unsatisfied customers. However, the end point is that a well-thought and highly praised holster is not available to those who want it. Combined with the fact that there are not really that many truly dedicated leather appendix rigs on the market, getting somebody else to make Invictus available would be a welcome development.

Please note that I am A designer, not THE designer. I claim no rights to it, ethical or otherwise. I greatly appreciate the other designers, as well as the effort that Mark put into making it a reality. If he can no longer do so, then I'm afraid that's that. I hope he is able to get things going again.

Todd and I are still working (slowly) with another leather holster maker to bring another AIWB design to the market. Hopefully some time not too long after SHOT, though I thought that last year as well. The delay has mostly been my fault, and I plan to devote more time to making it a reality.

ToddG
01-07-2012, 08:59 AM
Just to echo SLG, the design is Mark's regardless of where the ideas came from. Two other leather holster makers I've talked to have approached achieving the same concealment/comfort effect in different ways by choice. It's not like anything on the In-Victus is patented. It's unfortunate that so much time and effort was put into designing, testing, and refining a holster that seems unavailable, but luckily AIWB has gone more mainstream in the meantime and far more quality options are available than we saw just a couple years ago when the In-Victus project began.

YVK
01-07-2012, 10:19 AM
SLG and Todd, thanks for the clarification.
Todd, I do disagree with you on one part - I don't think there is enough dedicated leather AIWB options on the market. There is a bunch of straight drop holsters, and some are now available with increased ride height, and even reverse cant, but I find that to be only partly sufficient for AIWB, at least for my body. There is one design that I've recently found and it does look interesting - and its maker has just made it less available. There is another hugely reputable maker who has built appendix rigs I've just learned about by chance, and he doesn't even have his AIWB design on his website. I certainly hope that Mark gets this thing going again, and other leather AIWB designs become available.

JodyH
01-07-2012, 11:05 AM
Gentlemen,
The purpose of this thread was to solicit the help of Mr. Garrity’s peers in the holster industry, in re-establishing communication with him. It is my intention to resolve our dispute in a more civilized manner via e-mail or phone conversation. I am still seeking assistance in this matter.
Knowing what his "day job" is, I would imagine an informal inquiry to a detective in his department as to possibly seeking fraud charges would get things rolling in a hurry.
Tell them charges or an official report are your last resort and if Mark would just make things right you'll be satisfied.
Give them your contact info and request it be passed along to him "off the record" and if the situation is resolved nothing else will be said.
I don't mind long wait times or even missed timelines as long as communication is maintained.
Even a one line email response would probably suffice.
Take my money and disappear beyond the dispute resolution deadline and I'm going to assume you're stealing from me and respond accordingly.

TGS
01-07-2012, 12:44 PM
SLG and Todd, thanks for the clarification.
Todd, I do disagree with you on one part - I don't think there is enough dedicated leather AIWB options on the market. There is a bunch of straight drop holsters, and some are now available with increased ride height, and even reverse cant, but I find that to be only partly sufficient for AIWB, at least for my body. There is one design that I've recently found and it does look interesting - and its maker has just made it less available. There is another hugely reputable maker who has built appendix rigs I've just learned about by chance, and he doesn't even have his AIWB design on his website. I certainly hope that Mark gets this thing going again, and other leather AIWB designs become available.

Who is this other reputable one that you heard about by chance?

I would think that Desbiens line could realistically cover anyone's preferences. button loop, sewn loop, high or low ride, vertical or reverse cant. Then there's JRC with his new AIWB, Mitch Rosen's Tito, TT Gunleather's AIWB...there's probably more too, from lesser known makers. I'm not against more options, but I don't think we're hurting.

JDM
01-07-2012, 12:54 PM
Who is this other reputable one that you heard about by chance?

I would think that Desbiens line could realistically cover anyone's preferences. button loop, sewn loop, high or low ride, vertical or reverse cant.

The DGL line lacks a facility to tuck the butt of the pistol into ones torso. I like Rhome's work, and I have a couple of his pieces; but for me at least, concealability is somewhat lacking.

LittleLebowski
01-07-2012, 01:43 PM
Knowing what his "day job" is, I would imagine an informal inquiry to a detective in his department as to possibly seeking fraud charges would get things rolling in a hurry.
Tell them charges or an official report are your last resort and if Mark would just make things right you'll be satisfied.
Give them your contact info and request it be passed along to him "off the record" and if the situation is resolved nothing else will be said.
I don't mind long wait times or even missed timelines as long as communication is maintained.
Even a one line email response would probably suffice.
Take my money and disappear beyond the dispute resolution deadline and I'm going to assume you're stealing from me and respond accordingly.

This is probably what is going to have to happen and I'd certainly be pursuing it if he had my money and was six months past deadline let alone six months without communication.

YVK
01-07-2012, 05:00 PM
The DGL line lacks a facility to tuck the butt of the pistol into ones torso. I like Rhome's work, and i have a couple of his pieces, but, for me at least, concealability is somewhat lacking.

That's been my experience too.

TGS, via pm.

JV_
01-07-2012, 05:06 PM
Then there's JRC with his new AIWBMy very limited experience with the JRC holster is showing that it has sufficient butt tuck. And if it's not just right for you, it's adjustable with the circular spacers.

The only thing I didn't like (initially) is the ride height, but that will be fixed shortly. We've been talking via phone and email to come up with a better loop, one that's adjustable for ride height, and conceals better. Once that arrives, I may shelf my Shaggy.

juandelaselva
01-25-2012, 09:17 PM
Knowing what his "day job" is, I would imagine an informal inquiry to a detective in his department as to possibly seeking fraud charges would get things rolling in a hurry.
Tell them charges or an official report are your last resort and if Mark would just make things right you'll be satisfied.
Give them your contact info and request it be passed along to him "off the record" and if the situation is resolved nothing else will be said.
I don't mind long wait times or even missed timelines as long as communication is maintained.
Even a one line email response would probably suffice.
Take my money and disappear beyond the dispute resolution deadline and I'm going to assume you're stealing from me and respond accordingly.


I'd like to acknowledge that is is my first post on this forum. And regretfully, it is because I too have been stiffed by Garrity Gunleather.
My account goes as follows:

ME: 1/27/2011 -
I have attached the order form, and am looking forward to a nearly perfect AIWB!
I understand it'll take some time, let me know when/how I can pay for it.

ME: 2/13/2011 -
Mark:
I don't mean to be a pest, but am wondering if you have received my
order... see below.
Did you get it?
I am thinking somehow I get lost in your spam filter...

MARK: 2/13/2011
Yes, I've got you in my order book.
E-mails to the mark@garritysgunleather.com address are suppose to be routed to the garritysgunleather@cox.net inbox, but in some cases that is not happening. I have my web-guy looking into it.
No problem on the back mouthband and loop with cordovan holster body combination.
I have had no complaints whatsoever about any of my color dyes bleeding, but the entire rear of the In-Victus except the mouthband is covered with a light buff-colored suede anyway.

ME: 4/20/2011
Mark:
Any potential update on a completion date?
Thanks.
- John

MARK: 4/20/2011
John,
I should be able to have this finished within a month.
Give me a shout if you haven't heard back from me for payment arrangements by mid-May.

ME: 5/17/2011
Mark:
It's about mid-May, so here's your shout.
Hopefully your finishing the best invictus you've ever made, and will
soon be sending it to me.
Let me know how I can pay.
Thanks.

MARK: 5/18/2011
I was just about to e-mail you with a couple questions and here you are!
I started cutting a bunch of Glock 19/23 In-victus in the que yesterday and need to know two things for your's:
What width for the belt loop, and full coverage rear shield or abbreviated?
(I'm assuming right-handed as lefties are usually sure to specify).
Let me know on these. I fell a little behind but will have it ready within two weeks.
Total due is $ 175.25 ($ 170.00 plus $ 5.25 Priority Mail shipping), at your convenience.
I am presently having a problem with my merchant account that processes credit card orders, so at this time I can only take payment by check or money order mailed to my P.O. Box, or through Pay-pal at this e-mail address. I apologize for that inconvenience. I also need your full shipping address.

ME: 5/18/2011
That's good news... I'm getting excited now!
Belt width: 1.5"
Full cover rear shield
Right handed.
I can send a check to your POBox or paypal, your choice.
Let me know which you prefer, and I'll get it sent/done.
No rush at this point... I can wait an additional 2 weeks... or so.
Thanks.
<address removed... this is the internet afterall...>

MARK: 5/18/2011
No problem on the loop or full rear shield. Pay-pal at your convenience is fine, unless a check is easier for you.

ME: 5/24/2011
I sent paypal a few days ago.
Should show up as being from 'juandelaselva@___________.com'
Hope you got it... let me know if you have any issues/questions.
Thanks.

ME: 6/6/2011
Mark:
How's the invictus coming along?
Do you think you'll finish mine so I can have it by mid June?
Let me know.
Thanks.

ME: 6/13/2011
Mark:
Hello? You still out there?
I think I read somewhere that you are a full time law enforcement
officer, and do the leather working on the side... so I hope you are
still healthy and safe. And, frankly, really hope you are finishing
up the invictus I ordered and paid for through paypal... Can you give
me a status update on that?
Getting Worried in Oregon,

MARK: 6/15/2011
It is just about finished. just needs some minor edgework and final finish to complete.
Would have been done but we had an incident at work and I got called in on overtime on my days off.
Just now got a cahnce to sit down and catch up on a few days worth of e-mails.
I will e-mail you with the USPS tracking # when it ships so you can keep an eye out for it.

ME: 6/27/2011
Thanks for the update

ME: 7/13/2011
OK, I told myself I'd wait until July 15 until emailing again... But I just couldn't make it.
I have a 'class' in early August that I would like to have the holster for... Do you think I'll receive it by then? Thanks Mark.

MARK: 7/13/2011
John,
Under normal circumstances you would have had this by now.
I injured the 1st 3 fingers of my right-hand on duty a few weeks back.
Nothing broken luckily, but badly bruised, swollen, and stiff enough that I couldn't even pull the DA trigger on my Sig unti just the past few days, let alone do any leatherwork. What really sucks is having all the time off work and not being able to produce anything. Why couldn't it have been my foot!! I do think the way things are healing that I'll be able to finish youirs up and have it to you before Augsut though.
Thanks for your patience and understanding,
Mark

.....


...and that is the last I ever heard from him. I have patiently and politely emailed him monthly (not daily or hourly), and have not heard squat.
I'd really like the holster, since I paid for it with mid-2011 valued Greenbacks, and would like to avoid unpleasantness, but we're coming up on a year anniversary since ordering, and 8 months since I paid.

Do you think calling the 'Department' will help?

- John

As an aside, I ordered a holster from American Holster Company, and it "functions" as AIWB. But is is a 'make-do' device... not a dedicated final solution.

LittleLebowski
01-25-2012, 09:38 PM
I would strongly suggest contacting his police department.

juandelaselva
01-25-2012, 09:58 PM
I would strongly suggest contacting his police department.

from http://pistolsmith.com/holsters-belts/16160-garritys-gunleather-back.html
"In may of '03 I applied with a small AZ police department situated between Scottsdale and Phoenix...."

So, I am assuming he is with the Scottsdale Police Department
3700 N 75th St, Scottsdale, AZ
(480) 312-5000

Does any know if that is correct?

I plan on calling in the morning...

- John

LittleLebowski
01-25-2012, 10:22 PM
I'd start out with Scottsdale and go from there. Break out a map and call all of the towns in that area. Don't say why you're calling; first see if you can be connected to him.

TGS
01-25-2012, 10:29 PM
Try Paradise Valley, looks like it's next to Scottsdale. Supposedly an affluent community with 20 cops......sounds like the ticket.

erk1015
01-26-2012, 01:28 AM
I just dealt with all of this and finally got a response from him. Nothing worked until I threatened to go to his department and then I got an email back the same day and got a refund two days later. I'm not going to post which department it is out of respect for his primary job and personal safety but you can PM me if you need to know how to get a hold of him. If that doesn't work you can also contact the Arizona Attorney General and file a complaint.

RobG
01-28-2012, 11:47 PM
I was finally able to contact Mark via his sergeant at the police department. It was my last stop on the way to the AG since the BBB did not work. He finished up the holster and sent it out to me about a week later. This has been a very frustrating process, but I am pleased with the final product. Thank you all for the PM's that helped get this resolved.

RobG

gtmtnbiker98
01-29-2012, 11:40 AM
Well I will be sure to never order from him. Period.

Pistol Fan
01-30-2012, 11:48 AM
i ordered the Invictus for my HK back in May 2010. I was then informed that some issues had arisen and he had fallen behind on orders (it happens) but would be contacting shortly for payment and shipping information at the end of 2010, then it moved to the first part of 2011. Then, no contact, no replies to my e-mails to both of his e-mail addresses , no replies to PM's on another forum after recent posts by Garrity, and the phone number to his shop had been disconnected. I have made several attempts at contact this year as well with negative results That has been my experience.


Exactly my experience with Mark Garrity. The stories are all over the net now about how he claims holsters are ready to ship, collects the payment and then you never hear from him again. The phone # on his site is bogus and his address is a PO box. My last reply from him a couple months ago only came after I sent him the same email ten times in one day, hoping to get his attention. It was his typical bs excuses followed by his typical "the holster will be there by the end of next week". I still have no holster and he has my money. I'm thinking of starting a web site named "OfficerMarkGarrityisaCriminal.com". BTW the holster was ordered back in Oct 2010, and I've been trying to get it for about a year now. I'd love to say his product is the greatest, but I guess I'll never know. :mad: It's too bad that I became aware of Garrity through Todd, (who is a completely stand up guy as well as a top notch instructor) when they were working on the AIWB holster design. If I was Todd I would distance myself as much as possible from this turd.

DocGKR
01-30-2012, 12:46 PM
Pistol Fan--Contact his department and file a criminal complaint. You might also consider contacting the AZ DOJ.

To the best of my knowledge, ToddG and other industry individuals have firmly and fully distanced themselves from the unprofessional behavior and antics of Mr. Garrity.

juandelaselva
01-30-2012, 04:27 PM
As I mentioned in my previous post, I have patiently and politely sent Mr. Garrity an email every month, and even made copies of my order form and Paypal receipt to resend (thinking perhaps record keeping or bookkeeping were not his strong suit). No response from Mr. Garrity. The last email I had sent was January 18, 2012, until I found this thread.

After finding/reading the posts here, I sent another email on January 24 that went something like this:
...appears I am not the only customer waiting for a holster...
...took money & disappear ...thievery...
...call police department (where you work), make informal inquiry seeking fraud charges...

I got a response within 2 hours.
"I will finish your holster over the weekend and have it mailed by the middle of next week."

Regretfully, it seems the prospect of embarrassment at his place of employment is the only motivator that works.
A subsequent email to Mr. Garrity set up a strict timeline defining "the middle of the week" and deliverables (shipping confirmation number date/time, and physical deliver/receipt of the holster by another date).

update to follow Thursday afternoon...

A sincere thank you to several on here who have been helpful and offered sound advice and solid information.

- John

Pistol Fan
01-31-2012, 12:22 PM
Pistol Fan--Contact his department and file a criminal complaint. You might also consider contacting the AZ DOJ.

To the best of my knowledge, ToddG and other industry individuals have firmly and fully distanced themselves from the unprofessional behavior and antics of Mr. Garrity.

I have been assured that he will be hearing from his Commander shortly. All email correspondance as well as a copy of my cashed check have been sent. I hate to have to do this, but I am out 200 bucks and I certainly am not alone. It is theft and fraud plain and simple.

LittleLebowski
01-31-2012, 12:25 PM
I have been assured that he will be hearing from his Commander shortly. All email correspondance as well as a copy of my cashed check have been sent. I hate to have to do this, but I am out 200 bucks and I certainly am not alone. It is theft and fraud plain and simple.

When did you make contact with his dept?

Pistol Fan
01-31-2012, 01:40 PM
When did you make contact with his dept?

Tried the Chief and the Commander last night. Commander answered back this morning. This was after not being able to contact Mark Garrity by phone or email. My check was cashed over seven months ago after I was told my holster would ship the next week. That was the FIRST, but not the only time I was told the holster would ship shortly.

LittleLebowski
01-31-2012, 01:44 PM
Tried the Chief and the Commander last night. Commander answered back this morning. This was after not being able to contact Mark Garrity by phone or email. My check was cashed over seven months ago after I was told my holster would ship the next week. That was the FIRST, but not the only time I was told the holster would ship shortly.

I am sorry to see this having to be done but am gratified something is happening.

Corey
01-31-2012, 01:45 PM
Wow. Mark was in the AFHF class I took in Arizona in 2010. He seemed like a good guy and I was impressed with his holsters. Glad I never got around to ordering one. Sometimes procrastination pays off.

Pistol Fan
01-31-2012, 02:30 PM
I am sorry to see this having to be done but am gratified something is happening.

Like I posted before, I hate to have to do this, but I'm certainly not sorry. I feel like I've exhausted all other avenues besides just shutting up and eating the loss. If this was a singular incident it would be different, but since I started looking around I see there are more than a few other individuals who are out money with no product and no response. I stopped short of going straight to the AG to file criminal charges, and I'm certainly not going to show up at his front door and demand my money back. If he won't respond to the folks that have paid him to deliver a product then someone he WILL respond to needed to be contacted. I'm glad you agree that some action needed to be taken besides just sitting at our keyboards and bitching.

JodyH
01-31-2012, 07:05 PM
A little communication would have saved EVERYONE a lot of grief.
I know it would have been embarrassing for him to make a public statement on his web site and various forums that he screwed up and got in over his head.
But damn... sometimes you just gotta suck it up and try to make things right.

Shellback
01-31-2012, 07:05 PM
Looked like a solid design, good thing I'm a procrastinator too. Many people have had the exact same problems with Tony of Secret City Weaponeers concerning wait times exceeding 9 months, his website still lists 6-8 weeks, with absolutely no communication or at the very best lies and broken promises.

JodyH
01-31-2012, 07:08 PM
Rafter S Gunleather is another in the long line of poor businesspeople associated with the shooting sports.
Several of these people/companies are the reason I never make a purchase anymore without researching as much as I can.

JRCHolsters
01-31-2012, 07:49 PM
It's a shame. There are a lot of people with good intentions, skills and neat products. Unfortunately that doesn't always translate into someone who knows how to run a business. Customer service is hugely important. It's amazing how consistent communication can make all the difference in the world, with any type of business.

DocGKR
01-31-2012, 08:22 PM
Just tell the bloody truth...honesty goes a long way.

Shellback
01-31-2012, 08:47 PM
It's amazing how consistent communication can make all the difference in the world, with any type of business.


Just tell the bloody truth...honesty goes a long way.

I think that's the crux of the matter. Open, honest and timely communication is crucial to success in business.

VolGrad
01-31-2012, 08:48 PM
Sadly this seems to be a trend with a lot of small holster shops. I think they start off with good intentions, get overwhelmed once they "hit it big", and then sort of implode. I have seen this A LOT. I think there is some correlation between holster makers and making promises/timelines even they don't believe.

JDM
01-31-2012, 09:02 PM
CCC has it right. They set limits and close the doors once inundated. They do a good job of not letting things get out of control.

You have to know your limits.

JRCHolsters
01-31-2012, 09:46 PM
Sadly this seems to be a trend with a lot of small holster shops. I think they start off with good intentions, get overwhelmed once they "hit it big", and then sort of implode. I have seen this A LOT. I think there is some correlation between holster makers and making promises/timelines even they don't believe.

I think that is true of a lot of small service oriented business' that may be part time or even a hobby. You just notice it more with holster makers, as it's something you are close to because of the shooting sports. This is actually pretty common with a lot of firearm oriented business'. There are small one or two person shops that have been around for 30+ years and have never had a problem.
In the end it still boils down to understanding business, taking care of your customers, reinvesting in your business and having a desirable product. If you stray from any of those, it's just a matter of time before you run into issues.

DocGKR
01-31-2012, 10:10 PM
A good way to control demand is to increase prices.

LittleLebowski
01-31-2012, 10:20 PM
Rafter S Gunleather is another in the long line of poor businesspeople associated with the shooting sports.
Several of these people/companies are the reason I never make a purchase anymore without researching as much as I can.

Secret City Weaponeers is in the same boat.

RoyGBiv
01-31-2012, 10:36 PM
Seriously. I offer that bit if advice all the time. Most folks are reluctant to heed it and I have no idea why.

The most powerful 4 lines anyone has ever drawn. If you've never taken a macro-economics class or read a basic econ book, you're missing out on the best lesson I've ever had at explaining how the world works.

http://www.mikeonads.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/05/supply_demand_11.JPG

jmjames
01-31-2012, 11:15 PM
A good way to control demand is to increase prices.

This is *precisely* what I did with my business (not related to firearms, but I keep thinking about branching out). I was swamped with work, my attitude is, "if I'm this in demand, I'll raise my rates, I might as well make real money for my time". Customers GLADLY pay the new, higher rates because they know I get things done 2 - 5 times faster than anyone else. As I windup my current contracts, I'm going to raise rates again. I've started dropping out certain pieces of work that the per-hour was much lower than other stuff. The end result is BETTER service for the remaining contracts. I am not as overwhelmed with work, and as a result I work better.

While my experiences with holsters have been thankfully 100% positive (thank you Dark Star Gear and Comp Tac!), I've had a pile of negative experiences with my short time in the firearm ecosystem. The basic problem is that so many of the "companies" are one guy working in his spare time, and while he may have an awesome product, he doesn't have the knack for customer service, and if he gets overwhelmed, there isn't a recourse. In this case, folks weren't buying "a holster made to Mark Garrity's design" they were buying "a holster made by Mark Garrity". If Mr. Garrity hired someone to assist him, I'll bet real money that the folks here would instead be (rightfully) upset about the sudden drop in quality.

I remember when Dr. Martins closed up their shop in England and opened a plant in China... the backlash was so bad, they reopened the England plant a few years later, and now sell a pair of "Made in England" boots side-by-side with the Chinese boots for a substantial mark up. The free market is very effective, *if the players know how to leverage it*.

J.Ja

VolGrad
02-01-2012, 07:37 AM
Secret City Weaponeers is in the same boat.

This is one of the shops I was speaking of where there is a direct corrolation with regard to excuses. I will say Tony had some legit family health issues (young daughter) that are both serious and understandable. However, he still continued to be unrealistically optimistic about what he could turn out when. Not a big deal if you can't get to something for a few months ... just say it. Don't tell me a week then not deliver. If you think it will be a week, say it's going to be 4 and let the buyer be surprised.

His gear is top notch though. I'll give him that.

Pistol Fan
02-03-2012, 12:23 PM
As posted above, I had provided Corporal Garrity's superiors with all the answered and unanswered emails along with the original order and cashed check. The day after I contacted the department I got an email from Mark offering me a full refund, or the completed custom holster, which he happened to have on hand. He offered what seemed to be sincere apologies and absolutely no excuses. I opted for the holster after seeing a photo of it. I now have a USPS tracking # and I should see it tomorrow or Mon. So just over fifteen months from placing the order and just over seven months from providing payment it looks like I should have the product. I wanted to share the update in fairness to all involved and/or interested in this issue.

TCinVA
02-03-2012, 01:15 PM
Seriously. I offer that bit if advice all the time. Most folks are reluctant to heed it and I have no idea why.

Me neither.

To all you holster makers out there:

I'm keenly interested in quality carry gear because it's critical for actually packing a firearm on a daily basis. If your stuff is good, I'll happily pay a bit more for it. If a "Shaggy" was 20-30 bucks more expensive I'd still buy it because it's that good.

VolGrad
02-03-2012, 02:40 PM
The day after I contacted the department I got an email from Mark offering me a full refund, or the completed custom holster, which he happened to have on hand. He offered what seemed to be sincere apologies and absolutely no excuses. I opted for the holster after seeing a photo of it. I now have a USPS tracking # and I should see it tomorrow or Mon. So just over fifteen months from placing the order and just over seven months from providing payment it looks like I should have the product. I wanted to share the update in fairness to all involved and/or interested in this issue.

Here's my major issue with this whole situation. While this appears to be resolved it raises more questions in my mind than I had before. Before I thought the guy was just so overwhelmed he had given up trying to keep up or trying to communicate with customers.

Now I want to know how all the sudden he has finished gear in hand ready to ship once he gets his cage rattled by his bosses. How did he not finish it in 15 months but was able to finish it overnight and take pics and send an e-mail to the customer? Was it finished all along and just sitting on a shelf?

fuse
02-03-2012, 02:42 PM
CCC has it right. They set limits and close the doors once inundated. They do a good job of not letting things get out of control.

You have to know your limits.

A thousand times this.

JeffJ
02-03-2012, 02:54 PM
Me neither.

To all you holster makers out there:

I'm keenly interested in quality carry gear because it's critical for actually packing a firearm on a daily basis. If your stuff is good, I'll happily pay a bit more for it. If a "Shaggy" was 20-30 bucks more expensive I'd still buy it because it's that good.

I'll second this - price is way far down the list when I'm considering a holster. I'll gladly pay over $100 for Kydex and definatly north of that for leather if it's going to work well and be delivered in a timely manner. I think CCC could easily get $125 for shaggies

LittleLebowski
02-03-2012, 02:56 PM
Here's my major issue with this whole situation. While this appears to be resolved it raises more questions in my mind than I had before. Before I thought the guy was just so overwhelmed he had given up trying to keep up or trying to communicate with customers.

Now I want to know how all the sudden he has finished gear in hand ready to ship once he gets his cage rattled by his bosses. How did he not finish it in 15 months but was able to finish it overnight and take pics and send an e-mail to the customer? Was it finished all along and just sitting on a shelf?

Wouldn't surprise me if Garrity shipped him someone else's holster.

Sent from my ADR6400L using Tapatalk

SmokeJumper
02-03-2012, 03:37 PM
As posted above, I had provided Corporal Garrity's superiors with all the answered and unanswered emails along with the original order and cashed check. The day after I contacted the department I got an email from Mark offering me a full refund, or the completed custom holster, which he happened to have on hand. He offered what seemed to be sincere apologies and absolutely no excuses. I opted for the holster after seeing a photo of it. I now have a USPS tracking # and I should see it tomorrow or Mon. So just over fifteen months from placing the order and just over seven months from providing payment it looks like I should have the product. I wanted to share the update in fairness to all involved and/or interested in this issue.

Well, now that's progress and you're getting a holster after all of this needless waste of time. Hope it looks/works out good. I'm still curious, how is it that he just happened to have the "finished" product for your order? I'm quite sure that I'll never see mine from him!

GGL
02-04-2012, 01:20 AM
Gentleman,
I truly and sincerely apologize to all of those that have posted here. To clear up the curiosity of holsters being shipped within a few days of contact, I did not ship other customer's orders. I have been plugging away at orders and those holsters would have shipped around that time frame anyway. One in particular was rather unique so he can state if he chooses that it was not someone else's. Refunds were issued to those customers whose orders had not been started yet and I did not feel I could fill in a week or so.
There has been no intent on my part to defraud anyone. I have been greatly overwhelmed and admittedly bit off way more than I could chew. I curse myself for getting involved in this In-Victus project because it has been a nightmare. I went public with the holster before I was ready to go into production and it proved to be far more popular than I was prepared for. The holster is an absolute bitch to make still. The construction is pushing the limits of what the stitching machine is designed to do and I have one of the most heavy duty machines in the industry. Even at that when making this holster I break needles on a regular basis, and every 4th or 5th In-Victus needs to be trashed and started over. Some of the previous postings have suggested pricing high enough to reduce the demand and I thought that was what I had done. If you check my website you will note it is my most expensive holster, yes-because it is the most labor intensive, but also to drive down demand which proved to be ineffective. (however another custom maker did check it out and told me he would not attempt to make one for under $250.00). The late great Lou Alessi told me many years ago "Don't ever design a holster that is too difficult or too frustrating to make." I guess I should have listened to him. Well, there you have it. The demand is still there so I am still plugging along with these. To the best of my knowledge all paid orders have been resolved with the exception of a few I am working at getting done now. If you have an order pending with me, contact me at my new e-mail address: garritysgunleather@gmail.com. I set this up because I have had problems with the cox.net account and because I can answer the g-mail one from my cell phone. And I'm going to go out on a limb here posting this on a public forum, but you can call or text my cell at 602-758-5515. Please leave a message if calling. (Texting is actually quicker and easier to respond to).

GGL
02-04-2012, 01:28 AM
The only thing I would like to add is that I did stop taking orders a few months ago which is enabling me to get caught up, but please - if anyone has any sound advice on running a business, keeping track of orders, establishing a time line, ect. ; please contact me with suggestions. Thanks...

GGL
02-04-2012, 04:46 AM
Can I please ask that the g-mail address and/or phone number only be used by existing customers inquiring about order status, and not to place a new order (not taking any right now), ask about the best holster, ask what I think the best gun is (yes I get those too). You get the idea. It's for you guys that I have kept waiting. And please when inquiring be specific. You have no idea how many e-mails I get that say "This is (1st name only), where's my holster". I am sorry but I simply cannot keep track of all my customers by first name only, and such an e-mail is completely impossible to track when sent from a different e-mail address than that which was used when the order was placed; but you have no idea how many vague e-mails exactly like this I get . Please be specific. Thank you.

JodyH
02-04-2012, 10:10 AM
My only advice would be to re-group and start building your business back up with customer communication and carved in stone shipping deadlines in mind.

Frank D.
02-04-2012, 10:21 AM
The only thing I would like to add is that I did stop taking orders a few months ago which is enabling me to get caught up, but please - if anyone has any sound advice on running a business, keeping track of orders, establishing a time line, ect. ; please contact me with suggestions. Thanks...

I would say that it is hard to give advice without knowing what you are currently doing. Stuff like, how many of which types of holsters you can make, in what time-frame and how you are currently keeping track of and responding to customers. Essentially, much more than you would probably feel comfortable posting about on a public forum.

JRCHolsters or 5Shot, who both post on this forum, may be willing to offer you some advice specific to holster-making if you PM them (I hope they don't mind me throwing that out there). Otherwise, you are of course welcome to PM or email me at fdcardano [at] gmail.com, and I'd be happy to walk you through some small-business stuff.

Sorting things out may be a pain in the tuckus now, but it'll work out better for you in the long-run.

Good on you, for making the effort.

Pistol Fan
02-04-2012, 11:14 AM
To clear up the curiosity of holsters being shipped within a few days of contact, I did not ship other customer's orders. I have been plugging away at orders and those holsters would have shipped around that time frame anyway. One in particular was rather unique so he can state if he chooses that it was not someone else's.

I will comment on the holster, which is rather unique in build, when I have it in hand. From the tracking info this morning that appears to be Mon. I am a few hours behind the rest of the world, so there should be an update by the end of the work day Monday.

Pistol Fan
02-04-2012, 07:20 PM
Well surprise, the holster arrived today from AZ. The workmanship and fit are as I expected and the reason that I originally ordered this holster. Excellent. It was made for a 4 inch 1911 and in mahogany leather, with black shark trim. I requested the sewn on loop, but I guess there were problems with the stitching and the loop is both sewn and riveted/allen screws. The inside is lined with the shiny leather, which is a nice touch. There was a note included about AIWB carry, and explanations about how certain aspects of the holster's design make it the best for tucking in the slide and butt of the gun. They always tend to stick out in IWB holsters that are designed for hip carry.

It bothers me that I had to go to the lengths I did in order to get satisfaction, but everything happens for a reason and maybe Corporal Garrity can get his business turned around. HK used to have a VERY bad rep for customer service, but once they learned how to load the rounds facing forward in their magazines they have made great strides in customer satisfaction. Do I love the holster? Yes. Would I order from him again? Not in the foreseeable future.

http://kevinwalshphotography.smugmug.com/Other/Sharing-Gallery-Temporary/i-L9nftzr/0/L/KWP3254-L.jpg


http://kevinwalshphotography.smugmug.com/Other/Sharing-Gallery-Temporary/i-cKKgFKn/0/L/KWP3255-L.jpg


http://kevinwalshphotography.smugmug.com/Other/Sharing-Gallery-Temporary/i-bpRhN5n/0/L/KWP3256-L.jpg


http://kevinwalshphotography.smugmug.com/Other/Sharing-Gallery-Temporary/i-xTRwxSP/0/L/KWP3257-L.jpg


http://kevinwalshphotography.smugmug.com/Other/Sharing-Gallery-Temporary/i-QbqGvcp/0/L/KWP3260-L.jpg

GGL
02-04-2012, 10:39 PM
Thanks for posting. Nice pics. I need to get around to updating my website too. I have discontinued the stitch-on belt loop option. Almost every single In-Victus with a sewn-on loop was returned to me to have the loop stitched back on as they were loosening and coming unstitched with use. Having to repair previously shipped holsters
was another set-back that caused delays. There have been zero complaints about the Allen screw attached loop in terms of durability or stability.

Savage Hands
02-05-2012, 12:22 AM
That's a pretty nice looking holster, glad it was finally resolved!

Prdator
02-05-2012, 09:37 AM
I'd Gladly Pay $250 or more for a Holster that looks like that!! Providing I got it in a timely manner and had good communication with the maker.

bdcheung
02-05-2012, 09:57 AM
I can also see Mark's point about how that thing would be a PITA to fabricate.

F-Trooper05
02-05-2012, 02:21 PM
That's absolutely beautiful. Too bad this thread has steered me away from ever using GGL.

Super J
02-06-2012, 08:18 AM
Nice looking holster. Don't forget to post pics with it on so we can see how well it tucks the pistol butt in.

Thanks for sharing

juandelaselva
02-06-2012, 04:35 PM
Last week I received shipping notification from Mr. Garrity with a USPS tracking number.
On Saturday 4 February, the status through the USPS web page stated:
Expected Delivery Date: February 4, 2012
Class: Priority Mail®
Service(s): Delivery Confirmation™
Status: No Such Number
Your item was returned to the sender on February 04, 2012 because of an incorrect address.
(The above is copy/paste from USPS.com)
Well, after all that has occurred, combined with some of the speculation about how holsters were suddenly being completed and shipped, I figured Mr. Garrity was stalling, or something nefarious. I sent him a reminder email with the stated deadlines. A few hours later, I checked the status again, and it said "DELIVERED".

I'll admit I felt poorly for assuming the worst of Mr. Garrity, and honestly when choosing between the incompetence of the USPS or the willful negligence of any single human being (that doesn't work at the USPS), one should always side with the individual. Strange that I find myself nearly apologizing to Mr. Garrity after 8 months of him ignoring me (while holding my money).

Nonetheless, the holster arrived, and similar to the one above, it has rivets on the belt loop, while I requested the sewn on version (and I am comfortable with the rivets, and have no problem with them). The holster is ruggedly made (meaning it is stout, and not delicate) and the finish is adequate. I've worn it only some, and it certainly functions well. Well enough that I would consider ordering another, ...had I not gone through all of "this" (this = see above 8 pages of posts).

It is a quality holster, and I sincerely wish Mr. Garrity all the best, but I struggle with understanding his approach to customers. The burning questions is what would he have done had I not "threatened" to bring my case to his department superiors and the state AG?

- John

SteveK
04-17-2012, 07:46 AM
I finally received my In-Victus for my P30 yesterday. What a wonderful piece of kit. It is very well thought out and comfortable. Although the wait was long (approximately 1 year for order to my belt), I stayed patient and am delighted with the end result. Mark was good about replying to all my emails in a timely manner even though I know he was behind the 8-ball. I hope he can devise a business plan which works for him and his customers. I would even be willing to pay a bigger premium for an In-Victus if that was the case as I would love to add on of these for my Glock 17s. However, I believe I will wait and see if he can get delivery times down a bit before undertaking that.

Pasanova
04-17-2012, 10:07 PM
I received my Invictus for my Glock 17 last Monday. I was fortunate enough to be left handed and the only other left handed customer cancelled his order before the holster was finished. I guess I lucked out. Mr. Garrity stayed in contact with me and replied quickly to my emails. I was so impressed, that I quickly placed an order for another holster.

SmokeJumper
04-17-2012, 11:24 PM
You two guys above must be lucky or got in at the right time. I still can't get Garrity to reply to any pm's or e-mail on my 2 year old order. Rant off, sorry

TGS
04-18-2012, 12:16 PM
You two guys above must be lucky or got in at the right time. I still can't get Garrity to reply to any pm's or e-mail on my 2 year old order. Rant off, sorry

Did you pay for it yet?

ADKilla
04-18-2012, 04:09 PM
I received my Invictus order placed in Dec 2010 about a week ago. Once I contacted him via text left on this site that seemed to get the ball rolling. I initially contacted him via that means in early February. He indicated about a four week turn. I guess he got a little behind. Holster is gorgeous.

entropy
04-18-2012, 10:15 PM
New member here, this is my first post.

I am sorry to hear about Mark's getting in over his head. I have ordered a number of holsters from him over the years and have not only found his work impeccable, but it inspired me enough to try leather work myself. (The Indesceranble for the USPc on his website was my first order from him.) I always found him to be a stand-up guy. It pained me to read this thread.

Mark, I hop you get stuff squared away, and best of luck to you.

BWT
04-18-2012, 10:38 PM
The way I see it, the dude didn't manage his intake well enough, he's a small time shop, he does custom leather work and he got injured, in the worst possible place for his business, his hands.

Is he a piece of crap, libelous, money hoarder? No... No he's not, he's making good on his word, he made a mistake. I'll be honest, I think alot of these holster manufacturers get ridiculously successful overnight and find themselves sitting down going "... I never planned on staffing other people... and I may have to quit my day job to follow up on all of these orders."

Mark appears to be very very good at leather work, which is hard to do, it's hard to train an apprentice that's willing to work that hard, be that good, do it part time, that won't go steal his business.

I feel for the guy.

DocGKR
04-19-2012, 01:47 PM
It is all about communication--If a business tells me initially it will take 5 years and cost $1000 for their widget, I am likely to be quite happy when it arrives in 3 years and only costs $500 vs. the person who is told it will be ready in 6 mo, but in fact takes 3 years and cost more than the estimate...

From the posts here, it would appear that Mr. Garrity failed to communicate consistently and did not reliably relate accurate information to customers regarding realistic delivery times.

SteveK
04-19-2012, 02:22 PM
I think that the take off in popularity of AWIB and success of the In-Victus probably overwhelmed him. To a degree it may be our fault. The holster is defeinitely labor intensive and it's sudden popularity and high demand was probably overwhelming. Could he have planned a little better at the outset? Sure, but I have a feeling outside pressure from industry insiders might have contributed to bring the holster to the public before Mark was ready. This and his unfortunate injury at his primary job combined for a bad situation. Regardless, I am very pleased with this product and wouldn't hesitate to order from him again.

TGS
04-19-2012, 02:30 PM
I think that the take off in popularity of AWIB and success of the In-Victus probably overwhelmed him. To a degree it may be our fault. The holster is defeinitely labor intensive and it's sudden popularity and high demand was probably overwhelming. Could he have planned a little better at the outset? Sure, but I have a feeling outside pressure from industry insiders might have contributed to bring the holster to the public before Mark was ready. This and his unfortunate injury at his primary job combined for a bad situation.

You can find threads from 8 years ago on basically the same problems.

Jay585
03-21-2024, 03:14 PM
Bumping this necropost because I'm considering making an order from him.

eaglefrq
03-21-2024, 06:28 PM
Bumping this necropost because I'm considering making an order from him.

I just received my IN-VICTUS holster from him. Great quality holster and I am very impressed with the fit and finish.

Flamingo
03-21-2024, 06:35 PM
I just received my IN-VICTUS holster from him. Great quality holster and I am very impressed with the fit and finish.

Can you post some photos, please?

vcdgrips
03-21-2024, 07:40 PM
Eagle:

How long did it take from the time your ordered until the time you got the holster?

How long did he say it would take from the time your ordered until the time you got the holster?

Did you pay in advance or did you pay when the order was ready to ship?

thx

Bucky
03-21-2024, 08:10 PM
I just received my IN-VICTUS holster from him. Great quality holster and I am very impressed with the fit and finish.

I am happy to hear he is still in business. Admittedly, I missed the original thread when posted and sad that he went through such a bad time and even more sad for the customers. But I have a half a dozen or more of his holsters from years back, and they are simply exquisite. I am fortunate that I did not have any of the issues back in the day ordering from him, even though a few might’ve been slightly delayed.

eaglefrq
03-21-2024, 10:05 PM
Here are the photos of the holster.
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eaglefrq
03-21-2024, 10:17 PM
Eagle:

How long did it take from the time your ordered until the time you got the holster?

How long did he say it would take from the time your ordered until the time you got the holster?

Did you pay in advance or did you pay when the order was ready to ship?

thx

I emailed him on 12/10/23 with the order information and he replied on 12/22/23 with a question about the order. He contacted me on 2/13/24 and said he was putting the finishing touches on the holster and told me the total due and I sent him the payment. I want to say it was about 2 weeks later that I received the holster.

I didn't ask him his turn around time, especially at the holidays. I ordered and had it my mind that it would be at least 2 months.

vcdgrips
03-22-2024, 07:49 AM
Eagle:

Thx for that. Lovely leather there.

10-12 wks in that realm is certainly reasonable and a vast improvement v the case before.

Perhaps he has rounded certain corners in his life ie health/work/production technique, all for the good.

Be well.

entropy
03-22-2024, 10:15 AM
Mark does outstanding work. I too am glad to hear things are moving forward for him. Years back he screwed up an order. Basically I needed a thumb break and he made the holster without one. He quickly resolved the issue, and I had my leather within an additional two weeks along with a gratis matching mag pouch.

Elwin
03-22-2024, 10:24 AM
Well now I suddenly really want an In-Victus for my 1911, especially since before browsing his site this morning I didn't know how truly "custom" his work was. I'm always tweaking my kydex stuff to make it conceal better, so the less adjustable nature of leather has always scared me off. If I can order a leather AIWB holster and ask him to give it the maximum amount of grip rotation and a really large wedge...

entropy
03-22-2024, 10:39 AM
Well now I suddenly really want an In-Victus for my 1911, especially since before browsing his site this morning I didn't know how truly "custom" his work was. I'm always tweaking my kydex stuff to make it conceal better, so the less adjustable nature of leather has always scared me off. If I can order a leather AIWB holster and ask him to give it the maximum amount of grip rotation and a really large wedge...

At least back when...he’d pretty much do whatever you needed.

Elwin
03-22-2024, 11:18 AM
At least back when...he’d pretty much do whatever you needed.

His website still says as much now, at least. I'm also intrigued by his OWB options. A Galco "Avenger" copy of the original Nelson Professional is the first OWB holster I've actively liked, and the idea of getting the same thing with a thumb break is attractive - looks like Mark can do that.

Jay585
03-22-2024, 01:25 PM
Heard back from Mark via e-mail late last night. A snippet:

"I retired from LE in October so I can devote more time to leatherwork. So my turnaround times are a bit more reasonable now. I should be able to have this done for you within a couple weeks."

Sounds like he's good to go.

entropy
03-22-2024, 09:22 PM
Crappy picture of nice leather. I have a soft spot for cordovan, and Mark’s take on it is outstanding. The rig on the left is for. 4” 1911 and has shark trim. I ordered a matching belt with it. One day fitting back into it is on my bucket list...down to the last hole now!






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KevH
03-24-2024, 02:40 PM
Sssshhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!

Stop talking about Mark!

He's one of the best kept secrets in holsters.

Seriously, he's one of the true masters left, especially if you need leather for a wheelgun.

entropy
03-25-2024, 06:39 AM
Sssshhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!

Stop talking about Mark!

He's one of the best kept secrets in holsters.

Seriously, he's one of the true masters left, especially if you need leather for a wheelgun.

Hell of a nice guy too.

Rex G
03-26-2024, 07:16 AM
Just so y’all know, he has an evil-bay store, too. I have it set as a Saved Search. He has been busier, lately, especially posting J-Frame holsters, which do get snapped-up quickly, by buyers.

Alembic
03-27-2024, 05:18 AM
entropy how do I find his ebay store Rex G ? I failed to find it.
Have an identical USPc LEM that needs a nice leather home.

Rex G
03-27-2024, 10:12 AM
entropy how do I find his ebay store Rex G ? I failed to find it.
Have an identical USPc LEM that needs a nice leather home.

This iPad will not let be type his exact evil-bay user name, which seems to include underlined letters. The evil bay site will not let me copy and paste his user name. A search for his user name will not work. Just search for “Garrity holster,” and it will display all of his holsters, that are listed by all sellers. Look through the holsters until you see a seller with the letters “mg” dash dash “ggl” in the user name.

Sig_Fiend
03-27-2024, 10:19 AM
Here's the link: https://www.ebay.com/usr/mg--ggl

Rex G
03-27-2024, 10:25 AM
Here's the link: https://www.ebay.com/usr/mg--ggl

Thanks! No matter how much each generation of iPad Pro becomes more like computers, there are still some things an iPad Pro cannot do. Or, it may be that I need to use some still-mysterious “gesture” on the touch screen.

Up1911Fan
03-27-2024, 05:27 PM
Just ordered an In-Victus. I've been a JMCK fan for a dozen years and that won't change. But sometimes you just want leather. I'm hoping this works at least close to as well as my favorite leather AIWB, JRC's CDA-II. Man I wish I could order one more of those.

Rex G
03-28-2024, 10:03 AM
This morning, Thursday, 28th March 2024, would be a very good time to check the evil bay for an OWB black holster made by M.G., at his evil bay store. These listings do not tend to remain up, for long.

Bucky
03-28-2024, 12:01 PM
I thought I’d share some of his previous work.

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