The North Bennet Street School was founded as America’s First Trade School all the way back in 1881 to help newly arrived immigrants adjust to the United States and learn new skills for potential employment. Over 150 years later, they’re still offering traditional vocational training that allows individuals to focus on where craft and trade intersect. Just some of their courses include jewelry making and repair, preservation carpentry, violin making and repair, bookbinding, and more.

You may not know who inventor Robert Moog is, but you’ve definitely jammed out to songs that include his work. In the 1960s, he launched the very first commercial synthesizer and revolutionized the music industry. The best way this game changer was explained to me is like this: imagine you suddenly found a crayon box with 250,000 brand new colors. Think of the possibilities! The commercial synthesizer opened up thousands of new opportunities for musicians and helped define genres like disco, new wave, and techno. For the last 60+ years, everyone from The Beatles to Lady Gaga have created music using his invention. Today, his daughter, Michelle Moog-Koussa runs the interactive Moogseum in Asheville where you can learn more about Moog’s inventions and even check out one of the very first Moog synthesizers.

If you’re going to open a shoe shop somewhere like Bozeman, Montana, you better know what you’re doing. People in Montana take their shoes seriously (they have to!), and nowhere do they trust more than Carter’s Boots. Jeff and Lisa Carter first started a small boot and shoe repair shop back in 1994, and ever since they’ve become nationally recognized for their expertise and quality work. Not only do they offer repairs but they also sell handmade Western-style boots and other leather goods like belts, gloves, cowboy hats, and more.

Every Texan is familiar with the guayabera shirt – immediately identifiable by its two vertical rows of alforzas and patch pockets. When Caroline Matthews founded Dos Carolinas over 30 years ago, she wanted to marry the classic look of a guayabera with high quality, natural fabrics like cotton or linen. Over the years, the brand has become known for their bespoke guayberas with thousands of options for customization and her own unique style of tucking the alforzas.

When Sarah Jane Smith founded Magpies & Peacocks over a decade ago, she had one big goal in mind – disrupting the cycle of waste in the fashion industry. Since then, she’s created the country’s only 501(c)3 non-profit design house that focuses on reducing fashion’s environmental and social impact. Environmentally, they focus on collecting old fabric and clothing that would normally be sent to a landfill and upcycling them into brand new luxury products. Socially, they don’t just work with designers and artists; they pay double minimum wage and encourage their designers to start their own businesses.

One of the first things that comes to mind when it comes to Louisville is bourbon. After all, bourbon has been distilled here since the 18th century and is one of Kentucky’s most distinctive drinks. But whatever happens to all those barrels used to age bourbon once they’re longer needed? Well, one of the companies that have found a way to reuse them is Bourbon Barrel Foods. They reclaim barrels from some of the state’s finest distilleries and use them to create everything from sugar to peanuts and more. Their salt is especially good on things like watermelon and salads.

Ever wonder where the best jazz guitars are made? Nope, not New Orleans but right in Savannah, Georgia. Robert Benedetto founded Benedetto Guitars, Inc back in 1968 and for the last half a century, his jazz guitars have gained international renown. Most jazz guitarists of note have owned one of his creations and they’re even included in a permanent collection on guitars at The Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History. Even now that Bob himself is enjoying retirement, Benedetto Guitars still sticks to its roots. All guitars are handcrafted in Savannah with many custom orders ranging from $5,000 – $50,000. They’re so dedicated to their craft here that only 3 guitars are made weekly!