Batsakes Hat Shop in Cincinnati

[KY Crusader]

Ok...know I'm late to the dance here. Gus made me a hat earlier this year. Here it is, along with the pics from when I picked it up. He's a gem, a credit to hatters, to Greece from whence he came (Gus Miller is what I would call a "nom de chapeau", a name easier for all the Germans in Cincinnati to use), to Cincinnati, and to his family.

That said, I entrusted Gus to make my first bespoke this year, when I decided to join the hat tribe. It's not as tall as some would prefer, but he is an artist as well as a businessman. (He remembered @Frunobulax when I showed him a pic.) I picked the felt (steel gray), the ribbon (as red/maroon), and the bow (shark gill). View attachment 63507 View attachment 63508
Unfortunately when I went to pick it up, the bow was more traditional. The good news is that he was not there when I saw that, which means I got one more opportunity to talk with him when I picked it up on Saturday.
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Now for some pics of the homecoming celebration!
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I do think that Mr. Miller does go with his own instincts on his custom orders. But, hey! When someone has as much experience as he, who are we to argue! I think your hat looks terrific, and I would be extremely pleased with the results.

 

[KY Crusader]

I've been having the same thoughts. Having noticed a number of less active FL members who are also Batsakes wearers, was wondering if lunch on the square should be one of the stops for such a trip. It'll be like a "protest of love"!

I've been toying with the notion of taking a trek to the Queen City sometime between Christmas and New Year's myself. There is a Doria cap in the Batsakes shop that I''d like to take a look at it again. If any of you FLers are interested in meeting up there for lunch/coffee/something stronger, send me a PM.

 

[Bigger Don]

I do think that Mr. Miller does go with his own instincts on his custom orders. But, hey! When someone has as much experience as he, who are we to argue! I think your hat looks terrific, and I would be extremely pleased with the results.

Oh, I am very happy with this hat. I wanted him to make the design decisions beyond felt & ribbon color plus the shark gill bow. One of the reasons I like working with him is he can look at me and my dimensions before coming to the dimensions of the hat. That takes the eye of someone who has fitted thousands of heads, not some newby who got his knowledge from the internet, old movies, and memories of his grandfather's hat.

 

[Bigger Don]

I've been toying with the notion of taking a trek to the Queen City sometime between Christmas and New Year's myself. There is a Doria cap in the Batsakes shop that I''d like to take a look at it again. If any of you FLers are interested in meeting up there for lunch/coffee/something stronger, send me a PM.

I'm going to need to work this week so the first chance I would have would be Saturday...New Year's Eve day. It's a pain not winning the lottery!

 

[KY Crusader]

Oh, I am very happy with this hat. I wanted him to make the design decisions beyond felt & ribbon color plus the shark gill bow. One of the reasons I like working with him is he can look at me and my dimensions before coming to the dimensions of the hat. That takes the eye of someone who has fitted thousands of heads, not some newby who got his knowledge from the internet, old movies, and memories of his grandfather's hat.

There is much value in what you say.

 

[cpd670]

I finally went to see Gus this past Saturday afternoon, with a tired old Stetson to get a new lining and leather sweatband.
His wife called yesterday( Tue.) afternoon and said it was ready. Less than 3 days turn around.
I picked it up today and was surprised at how great it looked.
I also ended up with a Borsalino Alessandria, but it has to stay up til Christmas.

The wife and I spent about 45 minutes in the shop today talking with Gus and picking out my new hat.
When I told him I wanted him to make a custom hat for my birthday he was more than ready to get started.

 

[mudrock12]

I made my way down to Batsakes yesterday afternoon to get some hats steamed and cleaned, and it appears that the custom/ repair business is on hold as Gus is in the hospital. I was told to call back in a few months to see if he was back, so it's not sounding good.

 

[BobHufford]

Prayers for Gus..

 

[Dlaniger]

Well, yesterday I finally picked up my custom Gus Miller from Batsakes. This is a bucket list hat, as Mr. Miller is one of the oldest and finest hatters in the country. Mr. Miller sold me my first hat - a Selentino Sterling - a couple of years ago and I've wanted to get a custom from him for some time. The wait time on this was only a couple of weeks. Ordered it on June 11, and he called last Tuesday saying it was ready. I wasn't able to get down to Cincy until yesterday (Saturday), however.

My aim was to recreate the coveted and legendary Knox 100, currently in the possession of Lotsahats. Lotsa sent me a photo of the Knox and the specs on it. I gave Mr. Miller a photo of the Knox and some slightly tweaked specs. The Knox has a 5 1/2" open crown, I asked for 5 3/4". The Knox has a 2 1/2" brim, which I asked for, but Mr. Miller fought me a bit on that and said he thought 2 5/8" would look better. If I didn't like it, he would trim it down when I picked it up. In the end, I left it at 2 5/8" because, well, he was right. Obviously, he couldn't recreate the felted edge on the 100. I toyed with the idea of an underwelt but eventually just kept the brim raw.

The hat is beautiful, and I'm very glad I ordered it. Fits great, looks great and I think it's a reasonable approximation of the 100, though I couldn't quite match the ribbon color out of Batsakes' stock. Still all-in-all, I got the look I was shooting for.

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The color is bone (Winchester felt). The ribbon is brown. It's a substantial hat, certainly not pounced thin (but pounced nicely - it has a nice finish). The crown is fairly stiff - when you thump it with your finger you get a pronounced "thok!" The felt was very easy to work with, though, and took my crease readily in the shop.

I of course dry creased it on first sight. Mr. Miller offered to hit it with some steam, but after we talked about elephants for a while (you gotta know Mr. Miller; no telling where the conversation will go), and since it looked OK the way I creased it, I never had him hit it with steam. I reworked it a bit after I got home, though. An on-noggin shot (celebrating my new hat with beers and grub at Moerlein's Lager House).

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Look, a very happy customer!
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Ahh, I've got it. Yeah, it's a real work of art modeled after a true classic.

 

[Frunobulax]

I made my way down to Batsakes yesterday afternoon to get some hats steamed and cleaned, and it appears that the custom/ repair business is on hold as Gus is in the hospital. I was told to call back in a few months to see if he was back, so it's not sounding good.

I somehow missed this when it was posted. Don't know what happened, but he's apparently back on the job. A Yelp review from January indicates he was in the shop, and the shop is currently open.

 

[Frunobulax]

Ahh, I've got it. Yeah, it's a real work of art modeled after a true classic.

Mr. Miller thanks you.

 

[Frunobulax]

Mr. Miller has moved.

https://www.cincinnati.com/story/ne...eaves-former-terrace-plaza-hotel/70531351007/

 

[belfastboy]

Mr. Miller has moved.

https://www.cincinnati.com/story/ne...eaves-former-terrace-plaza-hotel/70531351007/

When I read the headline my heart sunk. I am planning a trip to Lexington and when I discovered that Cincy is but a short jaunt up the road I carved out a day to drive up to conduct my Hajj to the hat Mecca. So I am thrilled to read that it was just an address change not a more major announcement.

 

[Frunobulax]

When I read the headline my heart sunk. I am planning a trip to Lexington and when I discovered that Cincy is but a short jaunt up the road I carved out a day to drive up to conduct my Hajj to the hat Mecca. So I am thrilled to read that it was just an address change not a more major announcement.

Yeah, I want to see the new place. He's in a much better area for foot traffic.

 

[Frunobulax]

Yeah, I want to see the new place. He's in a much better area for foot traffic.

Oh, and let me know when you'll be in Cincy. I'll buy you lunch at Skyline.

 

[belfastboy]

Yeah, I want to see the new place. He's in a much better area for foot traffic.

I think I knew the name of the store was Greek in origin but had forgotten. I have been pronouncing it in the straightforward Anglo way but now realize it being Greek it likely sounds nothing like my anglosized version. So rather than Bat Sakes it likely sounds more like.....baat saakis.

 

[Frunobulax]

I think I knew the name of the store was Greek in origin but had forgotten. I have been pronouncing it in the straightforward Anglo way but now realize it being Greek it likely sounds nothing like my anglosized version. So rather than Bat Sakes it likely sounds more like.....baat saakis.

Mr. Miller seems to pronounce it "Batsakus." I kept his voicemail telling me my hat was ready. Still have it, LOL.

The news guy on WLW this AM said, "Bat Sacks."

 

[belfastboy]

Mr. Miller seems to pronounce it "Batsakus." I kept his voicemail telling me my hat was ready. Still have it, LOL.

The news guy on WLW this AM said, "Bat Sacks."

Well between your version and the radio guy......I am going with yours!!!

 

[belfastboy]

Oh, and let me know when you'll be in Cincy. I'll buy you lunch at Skyline.

Are you right in Cincy? We are in Lexington from Sept 12-15 just hanging out. Will do some bourbon trail things and then when bored will head up to Cincy as a day trip. Lunch would be fantastic. Won't bring a hat with me (perhaps a ball cap) but will look to buy something from Gus as a keepsake from Batsake.

 

[Frunobulax]

Are you right in Cincy? We are in Lexington from Sept 12-15 just hanging out. Will do some bourbon trail things and then when bored will head up to Cincy as a day trip. Lunch would be fantastic. Won't bring a hat with me (perhaps a ball cap) but will look to buy something from Gus as a keepsake from Batsake.

I live in Dayton, a short hop from Cincinnati. I can be in downtown Cincy in 35-45 minutes, and can leave my house and have my fanny planted in the ballpark in a bit over an hour.