Trip to Resistol/Stetson factory in Garland, TX

[stinker]

Someone made mention recently of the Resistol/Stetson factory outlet store in Garland so I went there to check it out. I was there 3-4 years ago and was not particularly impressed... ditto for last week.

The outlet store is in a separate building from the hat factory next door. Big old building and about 95% of their inventory was cowboy hats. A very few traditional felts and straws were available and what was there was kinda trashy. It was mentioned in the post that they sometimes receive canceled orders of hats and I could not confirm this with the sales person I spoke to.

I would not recommend anyone go there unless you are looking for a cowboy hat. Will keep an eye on the place and post update here if I notice any changes (improvement) in their inventory.

FWIW

 

[besdor]

Stetson Outlet

I have been to the Stetson outlet and am a customer of Hatco . What goes back to the factory as damaged or cancelled orders do go to the outlet store in Garland .
When I was there in Febuary , I did see hats that were from my store that were damaged . Sometimes you can get lucky when you are there. I bought some Resistol shirts that were meant for a store that cancelled their order . I bought them for 10.00 a piece .:cool2:

 

[Uncle Vern]

I probably have much more of a western bent than most of the lounge members, although I do wear a homburg and covet more of them. I used to think I wanted to visit the Resistol/Stetson outlet in Garland. However, this week I've been out shopping with my wife in western chain stores, looking for her new pair of boots, and I've had occasion to look over a few hundred new Stetson and Resistol western hats. They're all pretty much junk--lifeless, overly-thick and coarse, dull-looking, and stiff as pith helmets. I saw Stetson "Gus" models incapable of keeping their creases and new Open Roads that felt as though they were made from pressed cardboard. All of them sport cheesy headliners with low-quality silkscreening. I can buy 3 or 4 very nice vintage Stetsons or Resistols on eBay for the price of 1 new Hatco western hat. I can't imagine why I'd want a 2nd-quality hat from them when their 1st-quality product is so disappointing. They would, however, make dandy targets for near-sighted skeet shooters.

 

[stinker]

Revisit to Resistol factory outlet

Stopped by the Resistol factory in Garland again last week to check on their stock and was less than whelmed again.

Still mostly western hats and lots of them. I noticed some new contemporary hats, but, did not buy anything. I did notice that some of the hats were obviously returns from cunstomers since they had handwritten notes underneath the hat liner stating the reason the hat was returned.

And... more interestingly, I got in to the Master Hatters factory nearby and spoke with the owner. Master Hatters makes around 45 dozen hats a day and they are sold under the Wrangler Hat label. Web site is wranglerhat.com and it is a family owned business. They make only western hats, though. Straws and felts... gotta be a Texas thing! They have a nice catalog (no prices) for distribution to dealers etc. I picked up a copy and I'm sure you can contact them via email and get one sent to you.

I did not get to tour the production area of the factory, but, I'll figger out some way to get in later.

 

[stinker]

Article on the Resistol/Stetson factory

This article appeared in the Ft. Worth Star-Telegram today in conjunction with the opening of the annual Ft. Worth Livestock & Rodeo Show.

http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/13626672.htm

I found it interesting... hope you enjoy.

pw

 

[Biltmore Bob]

Stetson...

...always been a favorite of mine.

 

[SHARPETOYS]

Nice looking child!

...always been a favorite of mine.

Biltmore Bob,
Your daughter is a very pretty young lady. We need to see her in a hat.

 

[Biltmore Bob]

Wise guy....

...why I oughta...

 

[SHARPETOYS]

A Texas bully

...why I oughta...

What.... What .... You had better behave or I'll call your wife! you will be :cry: ing then!!

 

[Biltmore Bob]

Just don't tell her that I've got another hat on order...

...or that I've been on Ebay, or out looking at guns, or looking at a new litter of puppies, or fishing rods, or boots, or....'cause she really will kill me...

 

[Justdog]

Modern OR

I saw Stetson "Gus" models incapable of keeping their creases and new Open Roads that felt as though they were made from pressed cardboard. All of them sport cheesy headliners with low-quality silkscreening. I can buy 3 or 4 very nice vintage Stetsons or Resistols on eBay for the price of 1 new Hatco western hat.

Yes I was looking on a site at an OR Stetson, new. You can see the stiching of the sweatband between the base of the crown and the ribbon. If the hat brim tappers at all you will see the sweat stitch all around the bottom of the hat:eusa_doh: Your post was helpful as I was considering a modern OR but was also informed that the 4x fur felt may have 4 percent beaver and the rest?

 

[Duck]

I like the outlet store.

I try to go once a year, usally in December, but I have always found something I like. Last year I bought 2 fedoras and this year I bought a new Resistol Bison western hat, a fedora (Made for Miller Hats) for me, a fedora for my granddaughter's husband, and a straw open road.

 

[J.T.Marcus]

I stopped in yesterday. It was fun (again)! Of course, I just went in to look, and had no intention of buying anything. lol I left with three items.

A Stetson straw "Open Road XXXXXX". $50 (give or take a penney).

A Dobbs "Marquis". $42

And a Stetson "Colony". $42

The two felts are unique enough that I'll start a thread for each. Help me with any info you have on these models.

 

[J.T.Marcus]

By the way, If you're looking for a passable dress hat, on the cheap, and you happen to be in the area, they have hundreds of Dobbs 100% wool Fedoras, with real sweatbands and liners for $25 (their usual outlet price is about $30.). As I said, they're wool, but at ten feet, hardly anybody can tell the difference.

 

[J.T.Marcus]

Business took me close enough to stop by the Outlet, today. I got there at 5:10 pm, and expected to have only 20 minutes to look. But the sign on the door said "New Hours open till 6:00." Fur felt fedoras were not discounted, today ; standard price is $59.95. However, there were several tables with big markdowns on western hats (Good straws for $10, some fur felts for $25, and other fur felts for 1/2 the marked price or $10 per X). I got these three.

Charlie 1 Horse 30X Genuine Shantung Panama (Is that a contradiction of terms?) Model name:Choctaw. 3 1/2" brim. $10.

Charlie 1 Horse 30X Genuine Shantung Panama. Model name: Nerves of Stee (Yup, thats the way the tag reads!) 4" brim. Grosgrain ribbon and edge binding. $10.

Stetson Gun Club XXXX ("Authentic X's"). Model name: Dune. Color: Acorn. 3" brim. $25.

 

[awest84532]

Visiting in-laws in Dallas and...

I stopped by the Garland Hatco outlet this past Saturday. I wish I liked western more, but I am not disappointed with my visit. Just got home with two Chathams, a charcoal and a mink, a Gun Club Kissemme saddle color and a straw Retro. My daughter picked out a shirt and my granddaughter (3-years-old) picked out two butt-ugly hats, one red cowboy hat and one bright pink straw fedora.

I enjoyed the visit and got out of there for a little over $200.00. While the selection was limited for my 7 and 5/8's head, I was pleased and now look forward to visiting the in-laws again.

 

[Colby Jack]

Sounds like you've all come away with some real winners!:eusa_clap

 

[J.T.Marcus]

By the way, If you're looking for a passable dress hat, on the cheap, and you happen to be in the area, they have hundreds of Dobbs 100% wool Fedoras, with real sweatbands and liners for $25 (their usual outlet price is about $30.). As I said, they're wool, but at ten feet, hardly anybody can tell the difference.

They are now $10.00. Check todays post in the other thread about The Outlet in Garland (post #45).