Biltmore

[Justdog]

Not sure

 

[Rick Blaine]

NUTS!

Gee, I sure am sorry to hear that!

 

[Alon]

Justdog,

Mr. Rotman, being over 80 years old, isn't a very good salesman. You have to nudge him to try on his hats. Just tell him you want to look around. He's got all sizes, including 7 1/2 and bigger. Remember, if he happens to have your size in the display window, he'll sell you that hat at a greatly reduced price.

 

[ortega76]

Boy, I hope that's not the case. I came across this hat from Biltmore. I was going to wait until I headed north to Chicago in a few weeks to pick it up.

 

[tinmanzzz]

Nothing on the web ???

I Sure hope not, They are my favorite Hat Company.
Nothing showing up on Goolge :eusa_clap :eusa_clap

 

[Justdog]

Rotmans

Justdog,

Mr. Rotman, being over 80 years old, isn't a very good salesman. You have to nudge him to try on his hats. Just tell him you want to look around. He's got all sizes, including 7 1/2 and bigger. Remember, if he happens to have your size in the display window, he'll sell you that hat at a greatly reduced price.

Yes we talked to him for half an hour. He had a few hats and he was every interested in the one I was wearing, He was a sweet guy and he was a bit frustrated that his stock hat not arrived. He is now wheel chair bound but his mind is fine. Was not really looking to buy a hat just to visit. He is something of an icon down there.

 

[NonEntity]

I, too, am interested to know the status of Biltmore. I know it has been in financial difficulty for some time, but I'm not sure about bankruptcy, or whatever the Canadian equivalent of that is.

The reason for its financial woes is really quite simple. Biltmore makes a good hat, roughly at the same quality level as Akubra, but it does not manufacture and sell nearly as many, so without economy of scale, it must sell them at a considerably higher price point. Like me, most prospective customers don't see a good value and so buy a different brand hat

Product differentiation is one solution to this dillema. I don't know whether the sueded felt most Biltmore's hats are made of is an intentional niche marketing strategy or just a tradition, but it's not working to sell hats. Most people who have made comments here about that velour felt have regarded it as much more a negative than a positive.

I have but one Biltmore, a Golden Pheasant Tyrolean, the classic alpine hiker's hat in loden green, with the giant badger brush on the hatband. I've had it for 31 years now and wore it extensively in my younger days, rarely now. It's still in superb condition, though. Along with heavy hiking boots and a wooden walking staff in hand, I did don it last weekend for a neighborhood trudge through the brief but substantial snow here in the South.

I got a lot of peculiar stares. I responded by shouting "Agricola," but no one got the joke, so then I began yodeling. More stares, a few laughs.

I would be sorry to see Biltmore go out of business, as it does give us another, if relatively pricey, choice. But you must be able to compete to stay in business, and I, for one have done nothing to help them since buying the Tyrolean--which now retails for $185--in 1977.

I look for one of the majors, like Dorfman Pacific's parent company, to buy Biltmore out.