Not impressed with barons hatshop

[feltfan]

Le Samouraï,
If you want to defend Baron's, you might post pictures, including
close-ups, refuting the claims made against Baron's. That way we
can judge for ourselves.

BTW, WRT George Lopez- a lot of companies, particularly in the LA
area, will do better work for high rolling customers.

I have never been to Baron's or seen one of their hats. Just making
a suggestion.

 

[scottyrocks]

Someone (well, the two-year-old in our household) stomped on my Akubra Fed IV Deluxe and I found it flat on the floor. I picked it up and punched the crown out and reshaped it. As good as new, if not better for the kind softening massage that my daughter had provided it.

Theres a big difference between when a felt hat, and a panama, get crushed. Felts are much easier to reblock at home, even by the relatively inexperienced.

In fact I was at a charity event not long ago and George Lopez was there, who has all his hats made at Baron’s,

As for GLopez, who can take for granted anything anyone famous thinks or believes, and on top of that, why does the general public so often believe that celebrities are somehow more intelligent, and what they say is so god-like, as opposed to the rest of us? Lopez is just a guy. We have lots of guys here who have had genuinely unpleasant experiences with the hat shop in question.

My feeling is that if this shop were almost anywhere else, it wouldnt have the notoriety, or even the business, it does now. And the prices would certainly be more reasonable. And guys like Lopez wouldnt be as into them if they werent right there in the middle of the Hollywood scene.

 

[handlebar bart]

OH, that George Lopez! lol lol He can afford $800+ for a hat others charge half of that for. Likely no famous people will be posting on here to argue with George Lopez so I guess we lost this debate.

 

[Lefty]

OH, that George Lopez! lol lol He can afford $800+ for a hat others charge half of that for. Likely no famous people will be posting on here to argue with George Lopez so I guess we lost this debate.

Really. It's not like he's Johnny Depp.

 

[handlebar bart]

Really. It's not like he's Johnny Depp.

lol lol If someone uses a Kid Rock reference I'm gonna loose it!

 

[Lefty]

straight out the trailer

 

[handlebar bart]

straight out the trailer

lol When this thread popped up I went on there site again and saw that hat. The funny thing about it, besides everything, is that they didn't even make his hat. It was inspired. They sure get alot of 'inspiration' from other hatters but don't seem to have the same ability to inspire.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

THe thing that I do not like about Baron's Hats is the way they advertise. It just seems a little iffy.

 

[Tango Yankee]

straight out the trailer

What caught my attention on that page is the photo of Kid Rock (and I'm kind of clueless as to who he is) having the gall to wear an American flag as a poncho!!! :rage: Is that how he proves his patriotism, by descrating the flag? :eusa_doh:

Oh, and I'm not impressed by the hat, either. ;-)

 

[Spats McGee]

I've looked at their website now and again. I've never seen one of their hats in person, much less held or worn one. With that said, I do have a hard time believing that they're worth the prices asked. Some of the hare felts that I looked at ran as high as $450, with one beaver felt hat running almost $1000.

 

[jlee562]

I just really don't understand how they justify charging so much for their "recreation" of the Depp Public Enemies hat when someone could have the real deal Optimo for cheaper. How is the "recreation" with the wrong color, weird block shape, and no welted edge worth more than the Optimo original?

I should also say that for those of us into the Indy Fedoras, Baron's is rather infamous for their misleading claims regarding the hat from Kingdom of the Crystal Skull film.

 

[scottyrocks]

THe thing that I do not like about Baron's Hats is the way they advertise. It just seems a little iffy.

I just looked at their website, specifically the Indy sections. 'Iffy' is about the best word I can come up with, and thats being generous.

 

[Wolfwood]

Theres a big difference between when a felt hat, and a panama, get crushed. Felts are much easier to reblock at home, even by the relatively inexperienced.

Hehe, teaches me to pay more attention to what I read... [huh] Just saw "borsalino" and "fedora", but missed the "panama"

 

[Lando]

But where have any of you had a solid shop experience? That's what my whole post was about in the end. I wasn't impressed with Baron's actual physical shop. So, I'm curious where some of you guys have had a good experience. How is Optimo in person? Has anyone else had a good run in at Worth and Worth, when they were open lol? I visited the Village Hat Shop in Long Beach when I was out there, and the girl behind the counter didn't know s*** but she tried real hard to be helpful and accommodating. So, where have you been that you felt the shop did right by you?

 

[Tomasso]

Just saw "borsalino" and "fedora", but missed the "panama"

That's what I figured.

 

[danofarlington]

Theres a big difference between when a felt hat, and a panama, get crushed. Felts are much easier to reblock at home, even by the relatively inexperienced.

That is true. Actually last week I asked an Italian hat shop about why Borsalino refuses to reblock its own Panama hats, as I would have preferred. He came back saying "because of fragility and value of the panamas they do not want to do re blocking, is a big responsibility and is dangerous because some time some crash happens." So re-blocking a Panama hat, especially the expensive ones, is hazardous, and from this comment I deduce that the manufacturers would prefer not to mess with it.

 

[Tomasso]

Not verbose, just honest

Seems there’s more than just Baron bashing with some of you. Like a real vindictive streak, which is totally unwarranted. Something’s said are just not true. For example, someone I believe said that the sweatbands are not hand-sewn. On the hats where that is warranted they are. In fact I was at a charity event not long ago and George Lopez was there, who has all his hats made at Baron’s, and also has them make special hats that he presents to special guests right on his show, and we ended up “geeking out” on hat talk (he’s a real hat guy), and he was showing me the workmanship on his Baron, including the hand sewing, which Mark Mejia did himself for him as he watched. They also have an amazing sewing machine at the shop that’s many years old, and first creates an “inlet” around the sweatband, and then it is sewn, so that the stitch itself is impeded into the sweatband, giving you a perfect “no stitch” feel. That’s the kind of detail they do. Someone else called Mark an “apprentice”. I don’t know, but if I have been a hatter for twenty-five years, I sort of think that takes you out of the realm. Look, I have no ill feelings about anyone. I don’t know any of you, and I’m sure you are all terrific people, and we’re only talking hats here. And I don’t own stock in Baron Hats, or get any kind of discount or anything. As I said, I just love hats made the old fashion way, and yes, there are lots of good hatters, and I hope there will be more in the future. But we all know it’s a dying art, not a thriving one, and to have someone like Mark out there, just like the other hatters is a great thing. His staff changes, since many are interns and apprentices who move on to other things, but when I know many people (and of course, me), who have been to the shop, or talked to them, and I found them not only informative, but totally passionate about hats, and gave real personal service. I’m sure there are slip-ups with any shop, bad days etc., but you have to look at it as a whole. They do a great deal of work and have for many years, and are still there, still thriving, and have many, many fans, and loyal followers. In fact, I was checking out a loan company (anyone know a good company for refinancing a house?!) with the Better Business Bureau, (the one I checked had a C- Rating… not good!), and just for grins, I checked out Baron’s. They have been with the BBB for many years (I think since 1995 or something), and have an A+ Rating. If only I could find a loan company with that! Okay, so you’re right… I am “verbose”. Sorry for the long response again… but it’s just I respect Baron Hats, and what they do, and how they do it.

...........................................Can you say PARAGRAPH

 

[Chainsaw]

I am assuming that all these hat's are hand made on the premisise. That being said, the only issue I could have with these products, is the fact that I could not afford one. [huh]

 

[Matt Deckard]

Not verbose, just honest

Seems there’s more than just Baron bashing with some of you. Like a real vindictive streak, which is totally unwarranted. Something’s said are just not true. For example, someone I believe said that the sweatbands are not hand-sewn. On the hats where that is warranted they are. In fact I was at a charity event not long ago and George Lopez was there, who has all his hats made at Baron’s, and also has them make special hats that he presents to special guests right on his show, and we ended up “geeking out” on hat talk (he’s a real hat guy), and he was showing me the workmanship on his Baron, including the hand sewing, which Mark Mejia did himself for him as he watched. They also have an amazing sewing machine at the shop that’s many years old, and first creates an “inlet” around the sweatband, and then it is sewn, so that the stitch itself is impeded into the sweatband, giving you a perfect “no stitch” feel. That’s the kind of detail they do. Someone else called Mark an “apprentice”. I don’t know, but if I have been a hatter for twenty-five years, I sort of think that takes you out of the realm. Look, I have no ill feelings about anyone. I don’t know any of you, and I’m sure you are all terrific people, and we’re only talking hats here. And I don’t own stock in Baron Hats, or get any kind of discount or anything. As I said, I just love hats made the old fashion way, and yes, there are lots of good hatters, and I hope there will be more in the future. But we all know it’s a dying art, not a thriving one, and to have someone like Mark out there, just like the other hatters is a great thing. His staff changes, since many are interns and apprentices who move on to other things, but when I know many people (and of course, me), who have been to the shop, or talked to them, and I found them not only informative, but totally passionate about hats, and gave real personal service. I’m sure there are slip-ups with any shop, bad days etc., but you have to look at it as a whole. They do a great deal of work and have for many years, and are still there, still thriving, and have many, many fans, and loyal followers. In fact, I was checking out a loan company (anyone know a good company for refinancing a house?!) with the Better Business Bureau, (the one I checked had a C- Rating… not good!), and just for grins, I checked out Baron’s. They have been with the BBB for many years (I think since 1995 or something), and have an A+ Rating. If only I could find a loan company with that! Okay, so you’re right… I am “verbose”. Sorry for the long response again… but it’s just I respect Baron Hats, and what they do, and how they do it.

I don't think you understand. Simple experience has shown that Baron hats just aren't up to par with the higher end custom hatters which charge a comparable price for their custom hats. Whether this is just on a random happening or not, I'm pretty sure it's not random... it's just how they make hats. I do know that with 17 years of going there and seeing their custom hats on some friends and in the shop that they aren't as well put together as those from Art Fawcett or Optimo in Chicago. With Baron, whether it be how they glue in linings rather than stitch them, or how the sweatbands always tend to be warped rather than smooth when sewn in, or how the edge where the crown meets the brim on his dress hats tend to have a droop (at least on all the dress hats I've seen them make), it's obvious that time working with hats isn't making them make a better put together product. He may know how to do what's needed to make a hat that's up to spec with what most of the better hatters out there are doing; yet unless you have seen A hat from Optimo or Art Fawcett or even a vintage 30s or 40s hat up close I'm not sure you know what I'm talking about when it comes to the workmanship that those better hatters use which puts them in the league of what vintage hatters used to make.

I think Baron makes pretty good custom western hats. If you want something to look good on the screen it's the place to go. if you want a well put together dress hat that is built to the standards of when hats were on every man, or if you want a hat repaired, reblocked, rebound or a sweatband or ribbon changed, they aren't the place to go to in my book. The workmanship isn't just hit or miss, it's often tragedy. I say this after they ruined three hats of my own which, had I sent to Optimo like I now always do now, would have been fine.

Remember, this is a hat forum. it's not a place to praise hatters all day long, there are there plenty of hatters out there. Some great, some okay and some just bad, and we are here to talk about them.

They are not making dress hats up to the standards of their competition in any way shape or form.
I would like Baron to step up their workmanship and study the other hatters that are out there, as well as vintage hats. From what i see they aren't trying to emulate or know the craft more than they already know their craft. And talking to Mark, they don't need to stitch in their linings or fix the way they do their sweatbands since they already have plenty of business... new business from online and heavy orders from the movie industry.

 

[fluteplayer07]

But where have any of you had a solid shop experience? That's what my whole post was about in the end. I wasn't impressed with Baron's actual physical shop. So, I'm curious where some of you guys have had a good experience. How is Optimo in person? Has anyone else had a good run in at Worth and Worth, when they were open lol? I visited the Village Hat Shop in Long Beach when I was out there, and the girl behind the counter didn't know s*** but she tried real hard to be helpful and accommodating. So, where have you been that you felt the shop did right by you?

Worth and Worth in NYC. Amazing service, and great hats. They import privately labeled Italian felt bodies, and pounce and dress them with ribbons, sweats, etc. They have hats on display, and you can either get one of them, or if they're out of your size, they'll make a new one and ship it out to you. Their colors are amazing, too. One of them that Brandon showed me was this complex dark grey with a lavender undertone to it. They can also make oxblood (one of the few modern day hat stores that offers it, I believe). In addition to their regular 'stock' models, they can also do custom hats in rabbit/hare fur or beaver. I've only been there once, on the advice of Aureliano, but I love it. Compared to the rush of the rest of the city, the store is an island of peace. You do have to look pretty hard for it... W&W is 6 stories up!

Just my $0.02. And I've never been to Optimo, but I hear their shop is the quintessential hat store.