Show Us Your Vintage Hat Store

[TheOldFashioned]

Private label derby from Hurd's, circa 1925-1934:


Hurd's opened in 1908 in Lansing, MI and expanded to an additional store in East Lansing in 1925:

Original location





East Lansing location


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The business folded in the late 1950s. The original location is now a Domino's:

 

[TheOldFashioned]

Dobbs Fifteen homburg from Osmun's:



Osmun's was a men's store in Pontiac, MI, first opened in 1939. It expanded to three locations before closing in the early 70s. The founder, Monroe Osmun, previously tried his hand as a piano player in a jazz band before co-founding the store. He later served a role in the Pontiac Silverdome project.


After the store closed down, Osmun kept the storefront decorated to reduce urban blight. Later iterations at the original location included several brewpubs/restaurants. (See the Osmun name still etched in the concrete):

 

[Hurricane Jack]

I'm borrowing a couple of Eric's pics (Short Balding Guy) of his fine Pine Stetson Playboy & adding to the post after noticing it originally was sold from the Palace Clothing CO. Topeka, KS.

The Palace Clothing Co., originated in Topeka, KS in 1888. In 1895 they were issued a building permit for 709 S Kansas. In 1908 the company was issued a building permit for 709-711 S Kansas which was for the construction of the current building. The 1913 Sanborn Map indicates a three-story building. A building permit issued in 1915 was for an additional story and to update the façade. The 1955 Sanborn Map shows a four-story building at this location.

Through the yrs the Palace Clothing Co. expanded to include stores in Emporia, KS, Kansas City, MO, & St. Joseph, MO. By the mid-1960's they had begun to close one by one, with the Topeka store being the last to close.

I researched the Palace Clothing Co after purchasing a Stetson BRE with this embossed logo:

 

[Short Balding Guy]

The Kleinhans Co., Buffalo, NY was a high end men's clothing store (Kleinhans Co. was in business from 1893-1992). Below is a pic of the of the Kleinhans Hat Department display in the 50's.

In the 50's the hat pictured below was sold. This is today a vtg.50's Stetson 3X Clear, Fifteen.
Implied in the leather sweat branding "Fifteen" the hat was $15.00 retail. I have no way of knowing the exact retail price as no price tag is on the hat or on the original box.

On to the hat: The Stetson Fifteen, 3X Clear is of dynamite quality. The quality of ribbon treatment is high with nearly invisible stitches, excellent bow work and superb details. This is a terrific wide ribbon fedora.

The felt used for this hat is glorious. The felt on this Fifteen rivals a 50's 7X that I have. Malleable so that the crown or brim take a shape easily. A dress weight felt that takes a shape and keeps it until brushed by my hand. The felt is dense that is soft to the hand.

The sweat labeling is branding is spanking clean. Fun to look into something that is almost 70 years old and see it pristine as if seeing it in Kleinhans Co. for sale brand new.

I hope you enjoyed seeing my vintage Kleinhans Co Stetson hat.

Best, Eric -

 

[Rmccamey]

That is a beauty, Eric, no doubt. That hat might qualify for it's own display case!

The Kleinhans Co., Buffalo, NY was a high end men's clothing store (Kleinhans Co. was in business from 1893-1992). Below is a pic of the of the Kleinhans Hat Department display in the 50's.

In the 50's the hat pictured below was sold. This is today a vtg.50's Stetson 3X Clear, Fifteen.
Implied in the leather sweat branding "Fifteen" the hat was $15.00 retail. I have no way of knowing the exact retail price as no price tag is on the hat or on the original box.

On to the hat: The Stetson Fifteen, 3X Clear is of dynamite quality. The quality of ribbon treatment is high with nearly invisible stitches, excellent bow work and superb details. This is a terrific wide ribbon fedora.

The felt used for this hat is glorious. The felt on this Fifteen rivals a 50's 7X that I have. Malleable so that the crown or brim take a shape easily. A dress weight felt that takes a shape and keeps it until brushed by my hand. The felt is dense that is soft to the hand.

The sweat labeling is branding is spanking clean. Fun to look into something that is almost 70 years old and see it pristine as if seeing it in Kleinhans Co. for sale brand new.

I hope you enjoyed seeing my vintage Kleinhans Co Stetson hat.

Best, Eric -

 

[Short Balding Guy]

That is a beauty, Eric, no doubt. That hat might qualify for it's own display case!

Thanks sir. I will proudly wear this hat that represents a venerable model of Stetson's workmanship and a quality retailer of Buffalo, NY. In looking for info on the hat store I looked a bunch of pics and advertisements of this store. I would have loved to walked the store and even shopped there. I saw advertisements for some wonderful hats and some stunning high end men's suits and assorted clothing.

 

[BobHufford]

Not having much luck locating a good image of this store (R.E. Torgerson & Co., Willmar, MN). I can't even locate the address (maybe if I had a Newspapers.com membership). You can see by the look on my face that this concerns me.

The store opened in 1929 and apparently had a fire in December of 1951 (this was from a listing of fires with over $10,000 in damage).

Based on what little you can see of the store it appears they rebuilt in a very mid-century style.

The clothing store lasted into the 1980s.

 

[drmaxtejeda]

Alan sent me the picture this hat I just bought was sold in.

Sent from my LG-H870 using Tapatalk

 

[alanfgag]

Thanks sir. I will proudly wear this hat that represents a venerable model of Stetson's workmanship and a quality retailer of Buffalo, NY. In looking for info on the hat store I looked a bunch of pics and advertisements of this store. I would have loved to walked the store and even shopped there. I saw advertisements for some wonderful hats and some stunning high end men's suits and assorted clothing.

Eric, shopping is no longer possible but the Brisbane building still stands in downtown Buffalo. When you come visit we will tour it and maybe catch a concert at Kleinhans Music Hall, the Saarinen designed concert hall with the same family name.

 

[Cornshucker77]

KatzDepartment Store at 701 South Main was one of the longest running businesses in Stillwater. Jacob Katz came to the US in 1887 from Frankfurt, Germany and to Stillwater in 1894. He started his business in 1896 in the 800 block of Main, and then moved to the west side of the 700 block before moving to the east side. He then took over the corner of Seventh and Main in 1913. This was originally the Stillwater Dry Goods Co., owned by the Selph Brothers before they moved down the street and opened the Model Grocery. They had a pool hall on the second floor, and later Katz had a dance hall. Jacob Katz died in 1968, and the store closed for good in 2005. It will soon be the Stillwater Children’s Museum.

 

[BobHufford]

Early 1950s Stetson 3X "Sandhiller" from Hirschfeld's in North Platte, Nebraska.

Original location at 6th and Dewey (until 1963):

1917.

Late 1930s.

Today:

The second location at 6th and Dewey:

Prior to Hirschfeld's occupancy (the BPOE / Elks building on the right).

Late 1970s.

Today ... still in business.

 

[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.

 

[BobHufford]

Hopkins Ecuadorian Panama from Gentry's in Conroe Texas.

(skipping some of the story)

 

[Cornshucker77]

Early 1950s Stetson 3X "Sandhiller" from Hirschfeld's in North Platte, Nebraska.

Original location at 6th and Dewey (until 1963):

1917.

View attachment 179764

Late 1930s.

View attachment 179767

Today:

View attachment 179768

The second location at 6th and Dewey:

Prior to Hirschfeld's occupancy (the BPOE / Elks building on the right).

View attachment 179763

Late 1970s.

View attachment 179765

Today ... still in business.

View attachment 179766

Glad to hear they are still in business. My wife went to High School in North Platte.

 

[BobHufford]

Some of these are difficult! Stetson 3X (Last Drop liner) from Greenlee's in Scotts Bluff or Ogallala, Nebraska.

Scotts Bluff store on Broadway.

Today it is a flower shop. The block has been heavily remodeled.

Interior of the Ogallala store.

Label from a jacket.

Roy died in 1967 and I think the stores survived into the 1990s.

 

[Cornshucker77]

Some of these are difficult! Stetson 3X (Last Drop liner) from Greenlee's in Scotts Bluff or Ogallala, Nebraska.

View attachment 181102

View attachment 181103

View attachment 181104

Scotts Bluff store on Broadway.

View attachment 181105

Today it is a flower shop. The block has been heavily remodeled.

View attachment 181106

Interior of the Ogallala store.

View attachment 181107

Label from a jacket.

View attachment 181109

Roy died in 1967 and I think the stores survived into the 1990s.

I love the photo of the brands. And a great hat!!

 

[Wyldkarma]

Does this count? The whole shop is filled with vintage hats, as well as new. Dropped off the vintage Lone Star Dude, David cleaned it up, reshaped it, and slapped on a ribbon. Had to use a wider ribbon than originally planned to cover some mothing. My Lone Star handpainted hatband will take a couple weeks so in the meantime David put the dress ribbon on while I waited so I didnt have to leave the hat there. He also rebashed an old Churchill Red River for me to mimic the Dude. In the process he informed me the old hatband on the Dude was sterling silver and worth more than the hat. I thought they were dark conchos. They should polish up nicely. Excellent service and still up and running.

 

[Hurricane Jack]

I love the photo of the brands. And a great hat!!

Me too. Was wondering if they were able to cut it out or otherwise save the wall during all the remodeling? I have 3 old books of brands registered in CO back in the 1950's or 1960's. I'll dig those out, haven't looked at them in a long time.

PS: Found 2 of them easy enough.

 

[Cornshucker77]

Me too. Was wondering if they were able to cut it out or otherwise save the wall during all the remodeling? I have 3 old books of brands registered in CO back in the 1950's or 1960's. I'll dig those out, haven't looked at them in a long time.

PS: Found 2 of them easy enough.

View attachment 181212

Would love to see them.

 

[Cornshucker77]

Does this count? The whole shop is filled with vintage hats, as well as new. Dropped off the vintage Lone Star Dude, David cleaned it up, reshaped it, and slapped on a ribbon. Had to use a wider ribbon than originally planned to cover some mothing. My Lone Star handpainted hatband will take a couple weeks so in the meantime David put the dress ribbon on while I waited so I didnt have to leave the hat there. He also rebashed an old Churchill Red River for me to mimic the Dude. In the process he informed me the old hatband on the Dude was sterling silver and worth more than the hat. I thought they were dark conchos. They should polish up nicely. Excellent service and still up and running. View attachment 181175 View attachment 181176 View attachment 181177 View attachment 181178

Excellent!