Hat Shops in Bay Area...

[Vintage Betty]

Billy Spew

Our website is www.hatworksbypaul.com. It's just getting started. For sure come by anytime, we're there every day

~ Paulette

On my mobile device, only the home page comes up. I can't click anywhere for more info.

 

[Blackthorn]

I believe The Mad Hattress in Los Gatos just went out of business. I was doing a quick drive by and it seemed that their shop was empty.

Betty, is there anything else in the south bay like that? I'm new to this and looking for local stores. John in Covina has given me some excellent leads but I'm looking for all the info I can get, too.

 

[Goose.]

Blackthorn...I'm not Betty, but I may run up this way: http://www.berkeleyhat.com/menshats.html

But that Fino Fino shop is closer for ya. So, do a "Round Robin". Hit Fino, Paul's, Beserkley, Oaktown, then I'll buy ya a burger at Bob's in Fremont. That would be a cool Saturday outting...well, four out of five ain't bad (four hat stores being the "good" in that equation).

 

[jazzncocktails]

We will still be making all of our hats by hand with old, valuable hat blocks, tools, and machines, the same way the previous owner, Michael, has been making hats for the last forty years. Kirsten Hove, Head of Production and Design, is in charge of producing these creative lines. She is also organizing the installation of intricate, eye-opening window displays that will be changing every month.

Paul-ette, this sounds fantastic--congratulations and best wishes on the venture! I was in San Francisco just a couple of weeks ago and looked high and low for hat shops, with little success. My two best options were La Rosa, a great vintage shop in Haight, and Cable Car Clothiers, on Bush in the Financial District (they carry a fairly wide selection of modern Stetsons, Dobbs, etc.). No hat purchases on that trip, though, so I'll look forward to the chance to visit Paul's in the hopefully not-too-distant future.
Steve

 

[lc1484]

Paul-ette,

Welcome, I went by last week and saw the sign reopening in August...but if you are there inside working, I'll swing by this week...I'll be the cop on the motorcycle banging on the glass...

The only other retail games in the City for new hats are Cable Car Clothiers (nice hats, that store is pricey), Goorin Bros hat in North beach but thier hats are more the cloth trilby style hats, no premiun felt fedoras or dressier...Mrs. Dewson's place on Fillmore Street, former Mayor Brown gets his hats there, but Willie Brown doesn't pay for anything, he is a walking advertisement...same with the clothes...and there is an Austrailian Hat shop on the corner of Taylor and Sutter Streets...and a hole in the wall shop on Ocean Avenue called Thorne hats...but not a huge selection and mostly a couple of Stetson, Dobbs, Scala hats of the Steve Harvey style fedora...

If I had to choose of those...it would be Cable Car Clothiers to get a new hat...nice selection...

So I hope you well. I'll be by..

Larry

 

[Paul-ette]

Betty,

There is no other info up on the site yet, but there will be soon!

And anyone is welcome to come by and bang on the glass anytime, we're there evenings and weekends, then all the time when we open....Hurray!

~ Paul-ette

 

[rgraham]

This is good news. I've been by Paul's several times over the years, and he was never open. Wrong day. Too early. Too late. It was fun to peek inside the window at all the fine looking hats though. See you in August.

 

[Blackthorn]

I'll be coming to see you as soon as you open, Paul-ette.

 

[Paul-ette]

Thanks for all the well wishes...

Thanks for all the "good lucks," I look forward to meeting you all in person at our shop. We're working hard and discovering treasures, I'll try and post some pictures of the shop pretty soon here. I believe we will be opening August 29th. We may also be having a preview at a hat fashion show on August 21st.


~ Paulette

 

[Goose.]

Cool Beans. Was going to ask when the "opening" was. Great reason for me to hit the Coast Highway and do a "oh, look honey, there's a hat store right on our way". Any thoughts you can share so far on what you will be stocking in regard to styles, brands, emphasis (high-end, casual, mix?).

 

[Paul-ette]

Our Hats

We will be doing a lot of custom hats, we have a fairly large client base already who are clamoring at the bit to get a hat, as Michael has slowed down production for the last couple years. We will continue what Michael has done, and sell high end felt and straw. We're getting our straw from Montecristi of course, and doing 100% beaver felt hats. We have a fairly amazing and large collection of vintage ribbon, so we have a lot we can play with in terms of trimming these hats.

We will also be producing creative hat lines seasonally, and get a little more exciting with trims and feathers. These hats we are marketing towards more outgoing and outlandish San Francisco Dwellers. We may be finding a source of straw that is not quite as high of a quality as Montecristi bodies, this way we can charge a bit less for these hats, and as they will be more for occasions than everyday, we think this will work out.

~ Paulette