Hats from Texas Department Stores

[Rmccamey]

I am starting a new thread to attempt to capture or catalog Department Stores in Texas that sold what we now consider to be vintage or collectible hats, whether western or fedora or otherwise. If you have a hat with a Department Store stamp from Texas, I’d really like to see them.

I’ll start the ball rolling with this Stetson Twenty Five that came from Berman’s Department Store in Colorado (pronounced with a long A: co-lo-RA`-duh) Texas (founded in 1881). Their mother and the three Berman brothers moved to the southern part of Texas from Russia in 1905. When the brothers were grown, they moved to Colorado in 1931 where one opened a 5&10 store, another opened a grocery store, and Max opened a department store. In 1939, the town officially changed its name to Colorado City to avoid, what was then, the continual confusion of the town with the state of Colorado. Berman’s Department Store closed in 1967.

From the crown and size tag, this hat looks to be a ‘60’s model. It is interesting that it still lists “Colorado” rather than “Colorado City”. I have put out some feelers to find others who might have hats from Berman’s to see if they all have only “Colorado” printed on them, or if there might have been something special about this style or model of hat. So far I have had no responses.

Thanks in advance for all your posts and feedback. Enjoy.

 

[TheOldFashioned]

Champ B-17 from Meyer Bros White House Stores:

The Meyer brothers left another retailer, Foleys, after a dispute and bought out the White House Stores in 1946. These were smaller department stores in the greater Houston area. They expanded to ten or so locations over the next decade and sold out in 1959.

Entrance at one of the original locations, now a discount bookstore:

 

[jlee562]

This has also been posted in the 3x thread...

3x OR, embroidered Last Drop liner





Here was a lucky Google hit on the Stripling's store:
https://hometownbyhandlebar.com/?p=14435

Wesley Capers Stripling was born in Carroll County, Georgia in 1859. His father William was a farmer.

During the Civil War in 1862 father William was killed at the Battle of Crampton’s Gap in Maryland, and young Wesley soon after went to work helping a farmer. But when Stripling was eighteen he moved from behind a plow to behind a counter: He and a cousin opened a general store. Stripling moved to Texas in 1884, operating a dry goods store first in Alvord, then Sunset, then Bowie. In 1893 he opened a “branch” store on Houston Street in Fort Worth, historian Oliver Knight wrote, after meeting William Monnig when both merchants were on a buying trip in Baltimore. In 1899 Stripling moved his family from Bowie to Fort Worth. (Bowie also sent us G. W. Haltom and Amon Carter.)

The Stripling store on Houston Street in the 1890s. (Photo from University of Texas at Arlington Library.)

In 1909 the department store got a new home.

Stripling’s much-expanded 1937 downtown store was demolished in 1979 to make way for the Worthington Hotel. (Photo from Tarrant County College Northeast Heritage Room.)

 

[TheOldFashioned]

Early 1940s Dobbs from E.M. Kahn & Co:


Founded in 1872, E.M. Kahn & Co was the oldest retail store in Dallas. At time of sale in the 1960s there were seven locations in downtown and suburban Dallas. Here's a picture of the downtown location:

 

[Rmccamey]

Very nice. I guess they liked green hats back then, too!

Early 1940s Dobbs from E.M. Kahn & Co:
View attachment 172959 View attachment 172960 View attachment 172961 View attachment 172956 View attachment 172957

Founded in 1872, E.M. Kahn & Co was the oldest retail store in Dallas. At time of sale in the 1960s there were seven locations in downtown and suburban Dallas. Here's a picture of the downtown location:
View attachment 172958

 

[Rmccamey]

Dobbs Royal Coachman from Washer Bros., Fort Worth, TX. Washer Bros. was a staple in Fort Worth for most of the first half of the 20th century.



Some history of the brothers here: https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/fwaav

 

[Rmccamey]

A hat from Hudgins Apparel in the eastern part of the state, Gilmer, TX.

 

[J Williams]

The 7X CB I just picked up is also from Washer Bro's in Fort Worth

 

[Rmccamey]

An excellent example from Cow Town. Thanks for posting.

The 7X CB I just picked up is also from Washer Bro's in Fort Worth

 

[suitedcboy]

That 7XCB is amazing. It looks like you just grabbed it off the shelf at Washer Bros in 1954. What a find!

 

[Bill Hughes]

Here’s a No. 1 Stetson from Cuenod Dry Goods Co. in Mc Gregor, TX.

 

[Rmccamey]

That's a pretty nice color combo for Central Texas, Bill. Kinda leans toward A&M colors rather than Baylor, however!!!

Here’s a No. 1 Stetson from Cuenod Dry Goods Co. in Mc Gregor, TX.

View attachment 178705 View attachment 178706 View attachment 178707 View attachment 178709 View attachment 178710 View attachment 178711

 

[Bill Hughes]

That's a pretty nice color combo for Central Texas, Bill. Kinda leans toward A&M colors rather than Baylor, however!!!

I changed the ribbon. Here is the original. BTW I still have the original if I ever decide to switch back.

 

[Rmccamey]

That one is nice in either configuration!

View attachment 178721
I changed the ribbon. Here is the original. BTW I still have the original if I ever decide to switch back.

 

[Wyldkarma]

Kallison's Western Wear building was located in downtown San Antonio, Texas since 1899. This is where my Resistol 100 came from. Amazing quality & workmanship.

 

[Wyldkarma]

Here’s a No. 1 Stetson from Cuenod Dry Goods Co. in Mc Gregor, TX.

View attachment 178705 View attachment 178706 View attachment 178707 View attachment 178709 View attachment 178710 View attachment 178711

Gorgeous hat, Bill.

 

[Wyldkarma]

The 7X CB I just picked up is also from Washer Bro's in Fort Worth

Its sure a beauty.

 

[J Williams]

Its sure a beauty.

Thanks I couldn't be happier. That resistol looks really nice! I have to start looking at those.

 

[Frunobulax]

Disney Twenty, with Cavanagh edge, from Washer Bros.

I tried flipping those last two several times, but they keep coming back upside down. Oh, well...

 

[BobHufford]

Supernatural Tulcan Panama from Norton-Ditto in Houston.

First location (Barringer-Norton Building) beginning in 1908:

Then the Esperson Building (1946).

Later moved to the Soutwest Bank Building (1956).

Hat department in the background.