Hat Stores-a list

[handlebar bart]

I thought a list of hat stores and hatters nationwide (world wide) could be a handy thing.
I will start it out.

Bernie Utz
owners: Paul and Bev Ferry
310 Union Street
Seattle,Wa.
(no email address or website)
Not a FL or Classic Style sponsor

 

[KeyGrip]

Paul's Hat Works in San Francisco. Never been inside, but I have spent some time looking through the window. Sadly they are not, to my knowledge, associated with the Fedora Lounge or Classic Style magazine.

Paul's Hat Works Since 1918
6128 Geary Blvd.
San Francisco, CA 94121
Phone: (415) 221-5332

http://www.paulshatworks.com/

 

[Mike in Seattle]

I think you should add whether or not they're a vendor here at the Lounge and whether they're Classic Style & Fedora Lounge advertisers, since they help MK foot the bill around here, without which, the Lounge would probably cease to be.

I don't believe either of the two listed support the Lounge in any way.

 

[handlebar bart]

I think you should add whether or not they're a vendor here at the Lounge and whether they're Classic Style & Fedora Lounge advertisers, since they help MK foot the bill around here, without which, the Lounge would probably cease to be.

I don't believe either of the two listed support the Lounge in any way.

Great point. Edit in progress

 

[Socrets]

From Torpedo's thread:

Spain
Sombrereria Mil
C/ Fontanella 20
Barcelona 08010
URL www.sombrereriamil.com
Neither a vendor nor sponsor.

From what I've found:

United States
The Hattery of Georgetown
3222 M St Nw
Washington, DC 20007
URL: None that I know of.
Neither vendor nor sponsor.

I've been inside nice collection of hats but all are modern. No vintage. The owner is pretty nice and he'll also re-block and restore but I haven't had any of my hats done by him yet.

 

[Lefty]

There are three that I know of in Ohio, none of whom are vendors or sponsors:

1) The Hatterie
2196 Romig Rd # C
Akron, OH 44320
Though I guess it once had its day, this is currently sort of the dollar store of hat shops. There's nothing over $80 and nothing that should be over $25. I've been in there twice and no one who knows anything about hats works there.


2) Mike the Hatter
645 Prospect Avenue
Cleveland, Ohio 44115
A Cleveland institution that is brimming (sorry) with production hats by all of the big names. The staff is colorful and fun, though you should talk to someone for a while to make sure that he or she is one of the knowledgeable staff, rather than one of the characters. I've had both good and bad experiences here.

3) Batsakes
1 W 6th St
Cincinnati, OH 45202-2301
I haven't been to this one yet, but Gus Miller seems to have built a pretty good reputation among loungers.

 

[J.T.Marcus]

Peters Brothers Hats
909 Houston Street
Fort Worth, Texas 76102

817-335-1715 ORDERS 800-897-4287

http://www.petersbros.com/

 

[billyspew]

The best Hat Stores in America

Just noticed this article from GQ's October Issue, some I've not heard of any have opinions on them?
Are there any that they've missed off?

THE BEST HAT STORES IN AMERICA

Optimo
Chicago

There are hat stores, and then there's Optimo, one of the few joints keeping factory-method hat-making alive. Look for Optimo's hats atop the heads of Johnny Depp and Christian Bale in 2009's Public Enemies. www.optimohats.com

Byrnie Utz
Seattle

A helpful staff and the finest selection in the Northwest keep hat aficionados flocking to this venerated shop. The store doesn't have a Web site, but trust us: The cat's out of the bag. 206-623-0233

Hollywood Hatters
Los Angeles

When Sal Rovero's shop opened in 1995, it catered to Orthodox Jews, but today it carries something for everyone, with sizing experts to ensure the perfect fit. www.hollywoodhatters.com

J.J. Hat Center
New York City

Proving that age ain't nothing but a number, the 97-year-old J.J. Hat Center remains stop number one for old- and new-school dandies alike. www.jjhatcenter.com

Levine Hat Co.
St. Louis

Part shop, part spectacle, Levine stocks 30,000 square feet, so if you can't find what you're looking for, look harder. www.levinehat.com

Meyer the Hatter
New Orleans

Established in 1894, Meyer the Hatter is still going strong thanks to four generations of Meyers keeping the tradition alive. Of course, hat-filled floor space the size of a small country doesn't hurt, either. www.meyerthehatter.com

Still Life
New York City

Open since 2006, Frenel Morris's shop strikes a perfect balance: It respects—almost reveres—the art of handcrafted hats while easily keeping pace with the fashion-forward shops that neighbor it. www.stilllifenyc.com.

 

[epic610]

One Glaring Omission....

Bencraft Hats ...NYC ...multiple locations.

probably most knowledgeable staff; best prices.

 

[MattJH]

Oscar, formerly of Dietz Hats, runs South Street Hats in Philadelphia. Too bad he wasn't listed. They're totally authentic and old school.

 

[Matt Deckard]

Optimo
Chicago

There are hat stores, and then there's Optimo, one of the few joints keeping factory-method hat-making alive. Look for Optimo's hats atop the heads of Johnny Depp and Christian Bale in 2009's Public Enemies. www.optimohats.com

Yes... yes you will see them in the movie, but my crown's still higher than Johnny's.

 

[Feraud]

Still Life
New York City

Open since 2006, Frenel Morris's shop strikes a perfect balance: It respects—almost reveres—the art of handcrafted hats while easily keeping pace with the fashion-forward shops that neighbor it. www.stilllifenyc.com.

Have any of the locals been to this place? It's the first I've read of them.


The writers forgot Arnold Hatters.

 

[Matt Deckard]

Still Life
I'm not keen on their hat's yet I'm sure Justin Timberlake would love them.

I do like their choice in music

 

[JohnnyB53]

When I ducked into Byrnie Utz hats in Seattle on a rainy October day, I felt like I'd stepped into a time warp and stumbled onto a treasure.

 

[Lefty]

What's "best"?

Is it having the most hats, the largest selection of brands and/or styles, the best quality, the best service, and/or the best ambiance?

Mike the Hatter in Cleveland has far more hats, in far more brands and styles than Optimo will ever have in their shop. MtH, however, sells nothing but production hats, plenty of hats in red and purple, and mostly those at the lower end of production hats. I suspect that this is what most hat shops look like. I know it's true of another in Cleveland, The Hattery in Akron, that one in Jacksonville, FL, one I shopped in Belgium, and the couple of others that I've visited.

For this one, I've got to go quality, service, and ambiance (it is a shop, after all, not a just website) over the other factors, and place Optimo firmly on top, way, way above the competition.

 

[Tomasso]

Have any of the locals been to this place? It's the first I've read of them.

I'd never heard of them either before bumping into their store last Fall. They remind me a bit of Makins.

 

[filfoster]

Best hat stores in America

Gus Miller's Batsakes at 6th and Vine, Cincinnati, OH.

 

[Matt Deckard]

Just came from Hollywood hatters . Asked to see the borsalinos and stetsons... eg the fur felt hats which are in the glass case behind the counter, and was told by the shopkeeper that those were the Jewish hats. He had no inclination to show them to me and by his manner I didn't really want to persue the matter. It seemed odd. What they have around the rest of the shop are various short brimmed wool hats and lots of caps. They are in a trendy area and know their market well. I think it was a mistake by the person who made the list to list this store
near par with the other shops on the list.

For a hat store... What they sell... It's worth stopping by if you are in the area, but it shouldn't rate on a top ten list unless it's the top ten hat shops on melrose. ... Maybe one of the top 10 shops that sells hats on melrose.

 

[MattJH]

Asked to see the borsalinos and stetsons... eg the fur felt hats which are in the glass case behind the counter, and was told by the shopkeeper that those were the Jewish hats.

It's too bad there isn't an emoticon that would reflect how my face just exploded.

 

[JohnnyB53]

Just came from Hollywood hatters . Asked to see the borsalinos and stetsons... eg the fur felt hats which are in the glass case behind the counter, and was told by the shopkeeper that those were the Jewish hats. He had no inclination to show them to me and by his manner I didn't really want to persue the matter. It seemed odd. What they have around the rest of the shop are various short brimmed wool hats and lots of caps. They are in a trendy area and know their market well. I think it was a mistake by the person who made the list to list this store
near par with the other shops on the list.

For a hat store... What they sell... It's worth stopping by if you are in the area, but it shouldn't rate on a top ten list unless it's the top ten hat shops on melrose. ... Maybe one of the top 10 shops that sells hats on melrose.

That's ridiculous. I was in Long Beach, CA last week, where Village Hat Shop has a location, and they were much more accommodating than that! I tried on a number of hats by Dobbs, Bailey, Borsalino, and Stetson, including an Open Road and a 100% beaver Pinnacle. The woman who waited on me had been with Village for 6-1/2 years and was quite knowledgeable about the hats they have and of some of the history of hatmaking. She even was able to clarify for me that Hatco owned Stetson, Resistol, and Dobbs, but that Bailey had remained independent. She also clarified that Dorfman Pacific does not own Christy's, but is the US distributor. They also carry Christy's.

She was quite up front that Jaxon is their house brand and didn't try to pass it off as an open market brand. I noticed that the Jaxon beret is very cool, and something getting harder to find--a real Basque beret with satin liner and leather sweat band. They have an impressive selection of just about every kind of hat imaginable.