Local musician sells handmade bolo ties as side hustle during COVID pandemic

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – Lon Eldridge has been a full-time musician for around 14 years, but when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, he turned to a side hustle to make some cash.

“I wasn’t playing gigs so I needed a way to make money. Necessity is the mother of invention,” Eldridge said.

Eldridge said that his girlfriend pitched the idea for him to start selling bolo ties.

They are the ties commonly associated with cowboys.

“The bolo tie originally came from the gaucho the cowboys of Argentina. They have a tool called boleadora which is kind of like three strings with weights on the end. They wouldn’t do lassos they would take those off the neck and throw them at the legs of an animal that they were trying to capture and it would tangle up their legs. So bolos kind of came out of that,” Eldridge said.

He has turned his love for the western wear staple into a side hustle.

Eldridge makes and sells Bolo Ties by Lon on Instagram.

“I can make anything from a scorpion to different like custom metal and like recycled materials and stones. The sky’s really the limit,” he said.

The unique ties are fashion pieces worn as neckties or necklaces.

“If i was making one for a lady, she might like one that has a longer cord that might hang down closer to your waistline and then wear the slide down more where a necklace pendant might sit,” Eldridge said. “Or you can wear them up under a collar.”

What was a hobby is now a business, Eldridge has sold ties all over using social media and word of mouth.

“It means a lot that people have been supporting my business and love what I do. I’ve sent ties to Belgium, Washington state, up to Baltimore,” Eldridge said.

He said he’s still dealing with the impacts of the pandemic, now only performing at small events.

But, when the pandemic ends, he said he’ll likely continue selling the bolo ties since he’s had such positive response.