You'll Flip Your Lid!

 Over our amazing stash of fine Stetson hats, still in their iconic boxes.

Although the Stetson name has long been synonymous with cowboy hats, it wasn't until 1970 that Stetson hats were actually made in Texas, more specifically in Garland. The John B. Stetson Company was founded originally in Philadelphia by John B. Stetson in 1865. Born in 1830, Stetson's father was a hatter and Stetson worked with him until, as a young man, he was told to go West for his health. While panning for gold in Colorado, Stetson used his hat-making experience to create a wide-brimmed hat with a tall crown out of felted fur. Although his companions originally mocked him for his unusual headwear, they were soon impressed by how well the hat kept its shape, protected the wearer from the sun, and helped insulate him from rain, as well as both heat and cold. After selling his original hat to a passing cowboy for the then-princely sum of $5.00, Stetson returned to Philadelphia and, using money borrowed from his sister, started a hat company, reproducing his design in felt, which he named the "Boss of the Plains." The waterproof, lightweight hat was a hit, and by 1891, the Stetson company was producing work and dress hats for both men and women in its nine-acre factory that employed some 5,000 workers. However, following WWII, when men's hats fell out of fashion, Stetson struggled, ultimately closing its Philadelphia factory in 1971 and entering into licensing arrangements with other manufacturers. The company went bankrupt in 1986, but Hat Brands purchased the Stetson factory equipment and license. Through various corporate mergers and sales, Hat Brands became Hatco, Inc., the Garland company currently continuing Stetson's long legacy.

All posted items are for sale at Next-to-New, but things can sell quickly!