Peter Bros?

[Spatterdash]

Using the Search feature I scanned for the most recent chatter concerning Peter Bros. Hatters in Ft. Worth, TX. I didn't find a lot.
Now I know this crowd loves the amazing felts of vintage hats and Peter Bros. uses the stiff felt of western hats for their dress line, and I know the AdventureBilt is a very sweet choice for high crown fedoras (not just Indy fans). I guess I'm wondering if there was some sort of falling out with this store or it's product.

 

[Art Fawcett]

Not to my knowledge Spatterdash..I guess they just haven't been that active within the community.

Welcome to the Lounge

 

[Atomic Glee]

Every time I've been to Peters Brothers, I've been pleased. They seem like a good group of guys.

I live just a few blocks away from them here in downtown Fort Worth. It's really cool to be walking around and see a real vintage hat shop, complete with an awesome old neon sign.

 

[MattC]

Nice folks, stiff hats

They are very nice to deal with, and I think they do good work. But the hats are very stiff. I don't think there has been any falling out.

 

[Rick Blaine]

There has been some griping

...within the last year or so over on COW about poor communication & long turnaround times... particularly during the rodeo season... do not know if that is still the case...

 

[Matt Deckard]

It's a good shop and very nice to visit. Joe Peters Jr. was the one spearheading the making of their Indy hats and he was great at doing them. I'm not sure who makes them now, though I do know that they are a good cowboy hatter.

 

[Prairie Shade]

Service has Always been good

I became aquainted with them in the early 70's from an old boss of mine who had worked in Ft Worth. He was very complimentary of them and their shop. He had an old Shady Oak OR type hat that was butter soft and VERY nice. I had to have my own Shady Oak when I saw it. Mine came and was stiff as a board, but it was a Shady Oak, just not what I had wanted. Sold it to a friend couple years later. I know the Shady Oak bodies are back, but I'm sure there the stiff type. Anyone bought a Shady Oak????

 

[Dixon Cannon]

Custom Indy...

I visited Fort Worth about a year ago to see the store and select a hat. I ordered a Custom Indy after being measured and selecting felt and details. Sure enough some cowboys came to town for a ropin' and my hat order went on the back burner. I called - I emailed - I eventually wrote to Mrs. Peters. I never did get a hat though! I finally gave up on them and I won a beautiful vintage Borso on eBay. I would never go back to Peters, simply because they just didn't seem to care about single customers, their focus is on multiple orders from cowboys.

I will say this though on their behalf; they were very prompt in returning my money! They didn't seem to want to do business with me.

-dixon cannon

 

[Spatterdash]

I appreciate the feedback, folks.

I am on a constant quest for that taupe fedora that will match my London Fog trench coat, and I thought Peter Bros. might be the way to go, especially as I'm north of them by only a day's drive.
I had a suspicion that I'd be turning to AdventureBilt, I just wish I knew what colors Fedora could do besides Indy Brown and Sea Clipper Gray.
Granted, I'm gonna own a gray one day, but the taupe has to come first... and within my price range.

My search continues.

 

[Mulceber]

You should PM Fedora, ask him if he can do Taupe. Never hurts to ask, especially considering how considerate and pleasant he is to deal with. -Mulceber

 

[ITG]

I visited Fort Worth about a year ago to see the store and select a hat. I ordered a Custom Indy after being measured and selecting felt and details. Sure enough some cowboys came to town for a ropin' and my hat order went on the back burner. I called - I emailed - I eventually wrote to Mrs. Peters. I never did get a hat though! I finally gave up on them and I won a beautiful vintage Borso on eBay. I would never go back to Peters, simply because they just didn't seem to care about single customers, their focus is on multiple orders from cowboys.

I will say this though on their behalf; they were very prompt in returning my money! They didn't seem to want to do business with me.

-dixon cannon

PB has undergone some transitions over the last few years. I believe Joe Peters Sr. is doing the hats but am not sure if he has an assistant. They are good people in there. I'm sorry to hear about the problems you encountered with not getting the hat. I do know from about Nov-March they are wrapped up with getting ready for the FW Stockshow.

 

[Baggers]

I stopped by the shop this past Tuesday and bought a straw bodied Indy fedora from Joe Sr. He was a delight to deal with and promised my hat would be ready in time for the Labor Day weekend. He was working by himself that day, so that might account for any slippage with due dates if that happens a lot. But he told me that he'd gotten more work done that morning than he thought he would so perhaps evrything will work out. We'll see.

It was still fun to be inside a real hat store with a workshop complete with blocks and all the other paraphenalia. Kind of felt like walking into a time warp.

Cheers!

 

[Dixon Cannon]

I'd like to see that lid!!!...

I stopped by the shop this past Tuesday and bought a straw bodied Indy fedora from Joe Sr. He was a delight to deal with and promised my hat would be ready in time for the Labor Day weekend. He was working by himself that day, so that might account for any slippage with due dates if that happens a lot. But he told me that he'd gotten more work done that morning than he thought he would so perhaps evrything will work out. We'll see.

It was still fun to be inside a real hat store with a workshop complete with blocks and all the other paraphenalia. Kind of felt like walking into a time warp.

Cheers!

My previous experience with Peter's in Fort Worth was not so good. But, I'm shopping for an Indy straw - so it's any port in a storm. I'd like to see what that lid looks like on ya! I get to DFW pretty regular so it's no out of the question - I'd give 'em another shot at it if they buy me a sasparilla!

-dixon cannon

 

[Spatterdash]

Alright, let me ask this.

Peter Bros. uses a good quality felt by all accounts, but it's stiff, really stiff. However, this a common comment concerning Akubra Federations right out of the box.
Akubra owners are very quick to let the newcomer know that Federations soften up fairly quickly, within a few months.

How quickly does the Peter Bros Custom Indy soften up?
Is it rabbit like the Akubra, or a blend?

 

[Mulceber]

Well the felt stiffener is only half the reason PB's are so stiff. The other half is that they use what is quite possibly the thickest fedora felt in the world today. So even when they break in, they're still relatively stiff. -Mulceber

 

[Mr. Lucky]

I stopped by the shop this past Tuesday and bought a straw bodied Indy fedora from Joe Sr. He was a delight to deal with and promised my hat would be ready in time for the Labor Day weekend. He was working by himself that day, so that might account for any slippage with due dates if that happens a lot. But he told me that he'd gotten more work done that morning than he thought he would so perhaps evrything will work out. We'll see.

It was still fun to be inside a real hat store with a workshop complete with blocks and all the other paraphenalia. Kind of felt like walking into a time warp.

Cheers!

Any photos of the straw Indy yet? I've been oggling that for a bit.

Also, I've noticed this on their website - LESS STIFFENER IS NOW AVAILABLE ON REQUEST

 

[Spatterdash]

Speaking of which, I'm curious as to how soft that Indy straw is.

 

[Baggers]

No, nothing yet. I'm not expecting a call for another week or so. Believe me, you guys will know when I have it!

He had one on display that was as floppy as can be, but he said that it had softened up through handling over the course of a couple of years. He also showed me another one that he had recently finished for a customer,but he made the crown too high and had to build another. It wasn't nearly as soft and floppy, but wasn't stiff as a board either.

I'm expecting a flexible lid out of the box that will conform to my head quite easily.

Cheers!

 

[Mr. Lucky]

No, nothing yet. I'm not expecting a call for another week or so. Believe me, you guys will know when I have it!

He had one on display that was as floppy as can be, but he said that it had softened up through handling over the course of a couple of years. He also showed me another one that he had recently finished for a customer,but he made the crown too high and had to build another. It wasn't nearly as soft and floppy, but wasn't stiff as a board either.

I'm expecting a flexible lid out of the box that will conform to my head quite easily.

Cheers!

Pins and needles, sir, pins and needles.

 

[Baggers]

Pins and needles, sir, pins and needles.

Isn't there something you can take for that? lol