My new Panama Optimo

[gcollins]

I think Bob is right about that: There is seems to be some consensus around what is labelled fino vs. fino fino, but the problem is not different from the XXX in beaver problem, and in fact it's even more complicated. It's just that the internet sales people selling monticristis sell a weave count, color consistency, or row evenness will sell a hat more expensively than Bob, which Bob will often point out. But the service attitude needed by the aficionado (who else would pay big bucks for a simple straw hat?) and the business model leverage of knowing the customer's need is what's missing.

More specifically, Bob has a clear price advantage as a vendor (which really irks his competitors to no end, a great and most key advantage), but three very striking disadvantages:

1. He lashes out at potential customers (and competitors--always bad face) that don't buy his hats and instead choose among his competitors, like Casey.

2. As a middleman, he does not have many bodies in stock in the US. He'll order the hat from Ecuador when you order from him. The disadvantage is that he cannot establish a rapport with the customer by being able to personally choose the hat according to the many trade-offs one might want in a hat for a given price point. Both Bob and the customer don't know what to expect, other than the base specs which vary widely in quality. Need some inventory and FCF to make this work.

3. No good in-house blocking.

For you MBAs out there, this is a free case study....If Bob can work on the above, he is a clear winner and will put some others out of business, if he isn't asassinated first by them. If he paid more to the best weavers than anyone else (the ONLY way to help the best weavers--paying basic wages for low-end weaves doesn't keep the art alive), and still get the most cost effective hat to the customer, blocked very well as they want, and make them feel happy to give him their credit card a second time. With a bit of saavy marketing, there would no longer be credible internet competitors, and Bob could make pains to say how good their hats were and celebrate the fine gentlemen that they in fact are. And Bob would clean house--good for the customer, good for Bob's wealth generation, very good for the weavers.

Do it, Robert! Everyone can win, and you're the only guy who can do it!

I'd invest in that business model.

Regards,
G

 

[Brad Bowers]

I'd invest in that business model.

GCollins partnering with PanamaBob? I had to make sure Heck hadn't frozen over this morning.

Brad

 

[Panamabob]

1. I don't lash out at people who don't buy our hats. I'm pointing out false claims. And, yes, Espinal lives in a shack.

2. We have many hats on the shelves in Montecristi. Just look for Modesto in the shop in front of the Panamanian girl's store. It is on the callejon of artesania, below the museum, on the same street as Don Rosendo's real house, the one they don't show in magazines...the nice one. It is called Factory Hats. We do take special orders and will go hunting for you as most of you know. I've only got about 40 hats here on hand in Indiana, but I'll have 60 more in a week or so.

3. Our Ecuadorian blocking is what it is. Now we've got 2 new blockers on board who both either block or have blocked for the expert. Of course, most customers are either waiting to work with Art directly or have blockers of their own...Optimo, Peters Bros., American Hatters, Gary White, etc. and among them have members who have blocked for said expert.

4. Business model...you'll be pleasantly surprised at what is in the works.


Again, you've still never paid for the hat you've ordered, G.

 

[gcollins]

Right, on, Robert! Go for it. I am looking forward to seeing what you have in the works. I'll get a hat from you someday if things continue to go well.

Well, Brad, how are you, man? Long time no see. I'm headed back to the US today for a couple of weeks. Too bad there is no Vintage Silouhettes to visit anymore. I miss Art's store.

 

[jamespowers]

I've stood by the sidelines of this thread for a while but I think we are finally getting into a more correct view of the subject where we can all agree. Subjective terms can be misleading and can sucker people into buying something advertised as what it is not. Consistency is needed so this does not happen. If you want to call a Montecristi the highest grade whether it be Super Fino or Fino Fino Fino then it should have a very high weave count. If you call a Cuenca a Montecristi then you are just wrong. If you call Guessa a Montecristi then you are just wrong. Montecristi is/should be reserved for a specific type of weave. I see no problem in defending the consumer's right to know what they are truly getting. After that point, if they want to buy a Cuenca labeled as a Montecristi for ten times more than it is worth then they can be as ignorant as they want.
I think we are bothering too much with who is right and wrong rather than what is right and wrong here. Leave the personalities out of it and let the examples tell the tale.
I have received a nice hat blocked (choice of two styles) with a nice ribbon, sweatband and weave from the source mentioned as having no such thing. Works for me and if I don't like the block or any of the other things then I can have them switched when I feel like it.
No let's move on from here and talk straw hats and not people huh? We can go into what constitutes what quality of hat based on weave count, eveness of spacing and eveness of color. That's a good start.

Regards to all,

J

 

[Brad Bowers]

Hey, G. Been better, been worse, so I guess you can say I'm doing all right. I'll be glad when this Master's degree is wrapped up in a few weeks and I become a contributing member of society again.

Yep, everybody's waiting for Vintage Silhouettes to rise from the ashes. Poor Art can probably feel the pressure building!

Welcome back to the States! Work or pleasure?

Brad