Hatco Article From the Dallas Morning News

[Frunobulax]

http://www.dallasnews.com/business/...le-s-minds-garland-s-hatco-has-em-covered.ece

Seems to me there may be a couple of errors in the article. Wasn't Sinatra a Knox guy? And I thought LBJ wore Resistols, not Stetsons. Either way, good article and good exposure.

 

[GHT]

To be honest I'm not too bothered about trivial accuracy, it's a well written piece and a good foil against the article on the anti hat propaganda thread. Glad you found it.

 

[Frunobulax]

To be honest I'm not too bothered about trivial accuracy, it's a well written piece and a good foil against the article on the anti hat propaganda thread. Glad you found it.

Oh, agreed. But I can be a bit of a pedant about some stuff...

 

[alanfgag]

Wasn't Sinatra a Knox guy?

Cavanagh, I believe.

 

[Frunobulax]

Cavanagh, I believe.

That's it!

I didn't forget - just misremembered, that's all!! [emoji41]

 

[Monavillecowboy]

Great article! Thanks for posting it.
I started with western hats and added dress hats in the last couple years.
The resulting sales growth really took me by surprise.

 

[Bob Roberts]

http://www.dallasnews.com/business/...le-s-minds-garland-s-hatco-has-em-covered.ece

Seems to me there may be a couple of errors in the article. Wasn't Sinatra a Knox guy? And I thought LBJ wore Resistols, not Stetsons. Either way, good article and good exposure.

Good find Jim. I enjoyed reading it.

 

[jlee562]

Yeah, I thought LBJ was Resistol...Jim Leavelle, the guy who was escorting Oswald when Jack Ruby shot him, was wearing a Resistol, it's at the Sixth Floor museum.

Fun read though, glad to see Hatco making that commitment to improving quality.

 

[Bird Lives]

http://www.dallasnews.com/business/...le-s-minds-garland-s-hatco-has-em-covered.ece

Seems to me there may be a couple of errors in the article. Wasn't Sinatra a Knox guy? And I thought LBJ wore Resistols, not Stetsons. Either way, good article and good exposure.

You nailed LBJ, he was a Resistol guy, but I guess he was given many hats....And Alan nailed Sinatra, who was a Cavanaugh guy for the most part....but I do know that Stetson fedoras were what the Rat Pack dressing rooms in Vegas were stocked with....Nancy Sinatra told me that one herself...She came backstage at I concert I played in Europe....I also asked her about his blue straw porkpie that was on several Capitol albums, and she said that was "THE Cavanaugh", and the single most asked about hat that he owned, and no one in the family has ever had a clue were it went..but it went, before her Dad did....

I really dug this article....thanks for sharing....

 

[Frunobulax]

You nailed LBJ, he was a Resistol guy, but I guess he was given many hats....And Alan nailed Sinatra, who was a Cavanaugh guy for the most part....but I do know that Stetson fedoras were what the Rat Pack dressing rooms in Vegas were stocked with....Nancy Sinatra told me that one herself...She came backstage at I concert I played in Europe....I also asked her about his blue straw porkpie that was on several Capitol albums, and she said that was "THE Cavanaugh", and the single most asked about hat that he owned, and no one in the family has ever had a clue were it went..but it went, before her Dad did....

I really dug this article....thanks for sharing....

And thanks for the insight. Always a treat to get "insider" information!

 

[Genuine Classic Gangster]

That article leaves me curious about this question: what would Hatco really need to do in order to make modern Stetsons of quality that is on par with vintage Stetsons?

My general impression from the Lounge is that adding some more inspectors won't be nearly enough to accomplish that.

What would be a realistic answer to that question?

 

[TheDane]

what would Hatco really need to do in order to make modern Stetsons of quality that is on par with vintage Stetsons?

I don't believe that will ever happen. They tried with the 2015 collections, but failed in my eyes. In the long run I don't expect, they have gained market shares in the field of dress fedoras.

They have to be extremely grateful, if the market grants them another chance. Things like that don't come in bundles.

 

[Rogera]

I thought this was great:

"Brandstetter says his young customers are anti-establishment 2016 style.“Think of this as Rebel Without a Cause, only this time it’s Rebel With a Tie. The police are wearing polo shirts, the parents are in blue jeans and have long hair, and the rebel is wearing a suit, crisp white shirt, tie and a hat.”"

 

[LuvMyMan]

Yeah, I thought LBJ was Resistol...Jim Leavelle, the guy who was escorting Oswald when Jack Ruby shot him, was wearing a Resistol, it's at the Sixth Floor museum.

Fun read though, glad to see Hatco making that commitment to improving quality.

Yep You are correct. It is not a size 7 1/2 however, so when we viewed it, we left if alone! Haha!

 

[LuvMyMan]

I thought this was great:

"Brandstetter says his young customers are anti-establishment 2016 style.“Think of this as Rebel Without a Cause, only this time it’s Rebel With a Tie. The police are wearing polo shirts, the parents are in blue jeans and have long hair, and the rebel is wearing a suit, crisp white shirt, tie and a hat.”"

Thats the way we like it!

 

[LuvMyMan]

I don't believe that will ever happen. They tried with the 2015 collections, but failed in my eyes. In the long run I don't expect, they have gained market shares in the field of dress fedoras.

They have to be extremely grateful, if the market grants them another chance. Things like that don't come in bundles.

That is true. In the world economy of today, success and failure can come super fast! It is fantastic that they are making the effort to be world class again!

 

[Frunobulax]

I don't believe that will ever happen. They tried with the 2015 collections, but failed in my eyes. In the long run I don't expect, they have gained market shares in the field of dress fedoras.

They have to be extremely grateful, if the market grants them another chance. Things like that don't come in bundles.

Well, they have expanded the Excellent line to include the Temple, as well as still carrying the Excellent Stratoliner. Plus I believe they've added a few more Royal Deluxe open crowns (the Metropolis maybe?). I'm on my phone so can't access the catalogue on my hard drive, but I wouldn't give up on them yet.

To the original question, I think I've read here that some techniques have been "lost," but Deckard seems to be pushing to at least diversify the line. Perhaps some of the thinner, vintage-like felts will make a return. Though I doubt they'll ever be as good as in the real heyday.

Brandstetter is Deckard's "stage name?" Or is it vice-versa?

 

[tropicalbob]

It'd help if they expanded their size range. How can they be the #1 hatters when they don't offer larger sizes? Even if they did, from what I've seen on this forum I'd much prefer a custom job at the price levels they're asking. Mike at NW and Cane Rod Maker, for example, are directly competitive with them price-wise and make far better hats, not to mention the whole issue of customer service. And Akubras?

 

[DJH]

Brandstetter is Deckard's "stage name?" Or is it vice-versa?

The enigma man of hats [emoji1]

 

[Frunobulax]

It'd help if they expanded their size range. How can they be the #1 hatters when they don't offer larger sizes? Even if they did, from what I've seen on this forum I'd much prefer a custom job at the price levels they're asking. Mike at NW and Cane Rod Maker, for example, are directly competitive with them price-wise and make far better hats, not to mention the whole issue of customer service. And Akubras?

I won't disagree. But I like my new Stetsons, too.

No experience with customs. Just the word through here.