Montreals Henri-Henri

[Wandering Fool]

Reporting from Trudeau Airport in Montreal ..Today I visited Henri-Henri where I bought my first hat 15 years ago.I do not believe I will return again. I met with a young salesman and asked to see what he had with 2 inch brims. The first few hats were 2 1/2 or better. We finally found some 2 inch brims and I tried on a few and asked if he could put a teardrop shape in the crown. He looked at me a little funny so I showed him my hat and he said okay and made a fist and smushed down the hat and then tried to form the shape. I asked him if he could try it with a steamer and he took it into the back where an older guy put steam to it and he brought it out with the steam drops heavy on top and the pinch front off to the side.
The oldest fella in there took a look at me and reached into a cabinet and stuck a large brim hat on my head and said"this is the hat for you". Itwas Borsalino Beaver, about 500 which I think was their most expensive hat.I don't know for sure because I left.
To be fair, the young man who waited on me did not have the experience of some of his coworkers. He was friendly, but did not have the tools he needed.
My experience there today was similar to going to a store in a mall.
Perhaps it was an offday.

 

[J. M. Stovall]

This was in the hatbox of a vintage Borsalino I bought a whileback.

 

[Wandering Fool]

That is indeed the place J.M.

 

[Chasseur]

I was in there about two years ago and had a similar experience. I was looking for a tweed flat cap and the older guy kept slapping over priced Borsalino fedoras on my head saying "This is the hat for you." Very high markup in that store that is not backed up with knowledge or service...

 

[Lefty]

Two hat shops in 2 days and no photos???
:cry: :cry: :cry:

 

[Duper]

I visited Henri Henri in Montreal this past Monday. I found the prices exceptionally high for an Akubra hat. I could have a couple of Akubras shipped in from down under or the U.S. for the same price as one of theirs with some cash pleasantly left over.

I tried on a Mayser panama hat which they claimed was their best quality in the store. $195.00 Canadian and it did not seem particularly better than the $50.00 Ultrafino I was wearing at the time. I have to admit I have not priced Mayser panamas, so this could be comparable pricing.

A very nice looking shop. The staff was eager to assist. I did ask to see what they had in the way of a smaller brimmed Stetson fedora and they presented me with a house brand hat at $255.00. I repeated I was looking for a Stetson and they told me it really was a Stetson, made by Biltmore for Henri Henri. Does Stetson farm out work manufacturing work to Biltmore?

Here is one interesting comment from the shop website with a bit of hockey history for anyone interested. I had always wondered where the term "hat trick" had come from.

Between 1950 and 1970 when there were six NHL teams, Henri Henri rewarded players who had scored three goals or more in one game at the Montreal Forum with a free hat, which brought the “Hat Trick” expression into the world of hockey. The list of winners includes the legendary players such as Stan Mikita and Bobby Hull from Chicago Black Hawks, Maurice Richard and Elmer Lack from Montreal Canadiens, Norm Ulman from Detroit Red Wings, and many others.

 

[dhermann1]

Hat trick

A little OT, but wasn't a hat trick originally supposed to be scoring a goal in each of the three periods? Now it has just come down to three goals in a game.
Also, since the phrase is so similar to the trick of the magician pulling a rabbit out if his hat, I wonder if the term was around before the store started giving away hats.

 

[HATCO]

I repeated I was looking for a Stetson and they told me it really was a Stetson, made by Biltmore for Henri Henri. Does Stetson farm out work manufacturing work to Biltmore?

I'm sure it was an old hat. I think at one time biltmore was a subsidiary of Stevens Hats who had the Stetson license until they went bankrupt in 1986 and were bought by Hatco...

 

[Rule17]

Thank you all

There are some terrific questions here and I thank you all for taking the time to ask them or comment. We're not recording till this time tomorrow so still time for more

Many of the questions are perfect to put to Akubra directly. I've been looking for a good opportunity to give them a call, introduce myself, and suggest we meet. (They're a few hours up the coast and I'd love to visit the mothership.)

I'll put the questions appropriate to Rosie and Strand Hatters tomorrow; and save the rest to put to Akubra direct, which I think will make for a great podcast.

Thanks again to all who've contributed.

 

[feltfan]

There are some terrific questions here and I thank you all for taking the time to ask them or comment. We're not recording till this time tomorrow so still time for more

Many of the questions are perfect to put to Akubra directly. I've been looking for a good opportunity to give them a call, introduce myself, and suggest we meet. (They're a few hours up the coast and I'd love to visit the mothership.)

I'll put the questions appropriate to Rosie and Strand Hatters tomorrow; and save the rest to put to Akubra direct, which I think will make for a great podcast.

Thanks again to all who've contributed.

This has to be the most surreal post of the week.
Is there an internal error in the Lounge, moving some posts from
one thread to another, or are we looking at an automatically generated
post or what?

 

[Justdog]

Hat Trick

http://ask.yahoo.com/20010823.html

Henri Henri are also quoted as saying that they are the last cleaning and hat blocking milliner left in Canada. Umm There is Smithbuilt and the Hatter, which is probably the hatter mentioned in the piece or it could be Rotmans.