Newt at the Royal

[daizawaguy]

I just came back from a week in Hawaii and was pleasantly surprised to run into this shop in the Royal Hawaiian Hotel, called Newt at the Royal.

http://www.newtattheroyal.com/index.html

They had a very fine collection of Montecristis and Milans, randing in price from around $400 to the finest in glass cabinet at $15,000.

The Milans seemed to be Optimo blocked and reeded, with the same size marker that Optimo uses, and same Milan weave.

The person at the shop was very pleasant and knowledgeable, and it was a very welcoming atmosphere.

 

[zetwal]

Attractive display and hats ...

 

[Lefty]

+1. The milan certainly looks to be an Optimo. Do you know (or suspect) if the panamas are BB, Optimo, or otherwise?

 

[Bruce Wayne]

They are Optimos work. I have seen them in the Chicago shop ready to ship.

 

[Oldsarge]

Fifteen thou . . . for a hat? Astounding, truly astounding.

 

[monbla256]

Fifteen thou . . . for a hat? Astounding, truly astounding.

Well they did have to go from Ecuador to Chicago, get worked on, THEN go out to Hawaii. All that travel and such costs money. But at least you can say you found an EXCLUSIVE For me, I'd just get 'em from Chicago

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Fifteen thou . . . for a hat? Astounding, truly astounding.

if it is the one that I am thinking of, it has such a fine weave that it feels like it is made of silk. I have felt & held either it or its cousin in Chi-Town.

 

[randooch]

Fifteen thou . . . for a hat? Astounding, truly astounding.

Agreed. One would be downright afraid to expose such finery to the sun, its intended purpose!

Then again, it's all relative to one's income I suppose.

 

[DJH]

Probably wouldn't want to get caught in the rain either.

 

[danofarlington]

Fifteen thou . . . for a hat? Astounding, truly astounding.

I couldn't afford any more than two or three at those prices. The nerve of that store.

 

[Chasseur]

Looks like you had a great time! Just to second yes they are Optimos at Newts, but out of my price range...

 

[Mark Butcher]

Looks like "Newt at the Royal" has closed up shop.

 

[The Wiser Hatter]

http://www.newtattheroyal.com/

 

[Mark Butcher]

I was in Honolulu yesterday and today and while they may have a web site, there is no more brick an mortar store.

 

[DanO]

The shop was there in late January 2016

BTW the $15K hat was still there in the glass case.

 

[Hats Matter]

Thanks for the status update. When I travel to Hawaii in a couple of months I will provide a report to this Thread.

 

[DanO]

Worth a stop, we were staying at The Royal Hawaiian so we passed it daily. Nice shop more than my wife would let me spend on a hat.

 

[DanO]

BTW there is one of Newt's hats on ebay right now I am looking at it but I think there are a bunch of us looking since the bids are at 24 now and it still has two days.

 

[Orvil Newton]

I lived in Honolulu for thirty years. The Montechristi in my avatar came from Newt's. The hat band is a hand made Hawaiian feather lei made for me by my then girlfriend, Kamakaokalani Smith.

 

[Hats Matter]

I was in Honolulu recently and I can report that Newt at the Royal is still in business as a brick and mortar store. The proprietor is Jim Tomasi as shown in the photo. He confirmed that his Montecristi Panama hats are blocked by Optimo. I bought 3 shirts but no hats as I have 3 Panamas.