Show Us Your Vintage Hat Store

I may have posted this before, but what the hell.....

Harry Holland Amarillo , TX

Late 1950s / early 1960s Stetson Gun Club. Another store you would think there would be more info/photos for, but my Google-Fu is apparently weak.









Westgate location ... just out of the frame. Was damaged by a fire in 1968.

This and the comparison thread are may favorite topics here. Love all the history and old shots, thanks for digging these up everyone.

217 20th Street North, Birmingham, AL. No date on the photo courtesy of B'ham Public Library. To the left of the Wormser store was a hat and shoe repair shop that operated for close to a hundred years closing in 2016.

I don't have a hat from here, but would love to.

"At the turn of the last century The Springfield Hat Co was located at 322 South Street The hat company was owned and managed by Newton Marion Rountree ~ President - incidentally he was president of Keet & Rountree across the street and Rountree Grade School is named after him. J.H. Rountree was VP and John Kintrea was Sec. & Tres. It was the largest hat store and hat wholesaler in SW Missouri. They had been located 404-6 South Street prior to moving here. The company was founded on November 1st 1899. J. H. Rountree would take over upon Newton death in 1907.

The store was built in 1887 and the business to occupy the building was John W. Williams Hardware and Stove Company. This is now the location of the Outland Ballroom (northside). Why they messed up the building in 1960's is beyond me."

I attended the grade school named after the company president.

The storefront today. Damn the 1960s remodeling phase. The building is now a bar and music venue. I've seen Pokey Lafarge there a couple of times, but it is a horrible place.

BobHufford said:

I don't have a hat from here, but would love to.

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Cool pics, Bob. That would be a nice find. I have no idea where my Wormser came from. It's not marked.

Cornshucker77 said:

I may have posted this before, but what the hell.....

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Beautiful hat Scott! I'm happy to report that the old Miller building has been lovingly restored to most of it's original glory and is currently home to many Knoxville retail and commercial businesses.

humanshoes said:

Beautiful hat Scott! I'm happy to report that the old Miller building has been lovingly restored to most of it's original glory and is currently home to many Knoxville retail and commercial businesses.

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Thanks and thanks for posting that Rick. Glad to hear it.

Two-tone Milan from Boegel's in Clinton, Iowa:


Still in business today after more than 100 years:


Here's a local news story with accompanying video. Notice the hats to the left at the 1:15 mark.

TheOldFashioned said:

Two-tone Milan from Boegel's in Clinton, Iowa:
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Still in business today after more than 100 years:
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Here's a local news story with accompanying video. Notice the hats to the left at the 1:15 mark.

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Cool story, cool hats, and I would have never guessed the gentleman was 93 years old.

Byer-Rolnick era Resistol Panama.







1936: To the left of the building with the two columns. Note the neon sign.



Early 1950s:



1956: Hey Dick! Note the now missing neon sign.



1970s location:

^^^^^ continued ... current view of locations.

1950s Dobbs Twenty.
Rothschilds Oklahoma City

Long Rothschild's Era Ends Today's Closing Alters City Retail Landscape

Jon Denton

Published: Sat, September 19, 1992 12:00 AM

Rothschild's will close its doors for the final time today, ending a 137-year-old tradition.

Officials announced last week that Dillard Department Stores Inc. of Little Rock, Ark., will acquire assets of the upscale fashion retailer, effective Monday.

Dillard officials have not responded to inquiries about their plans for the Rothschild's stores. However, Rothschild's employees, who asked not to be identified, said Friday that Dillard has been conducting job interviews and will re-open Rothschild's Penn Square Mall location next week under the Dillard's name.

Robert W. Clark, Rothschild's owner, released a statement Thursday saying his decision to close one of the oldest retailers in the region "was a highly emotional one and based solely on the fact that one cannot work forever. " At one time the Rothschild's chain had at least eight stores - four in Kansas City and four in Oklahoma City, recalled Mark Warner, a former store manager.

"The most important thing at Rothschild's was the service," Warner said Friday at Kay-Anne's, his North Park Mall women's wear store. "It was important then, and it's important now. " Others associated with Rothschild's over the years agree.

"It's been an Oklahoma name for quite a while, and in that regard, it will be missed," said Jeff Berger, general manager, at Penn Square Mall. "They contribute a certain exclusivity to Penn Square. " He called the Dillard's store "a most successful operation here" with 170,000 square feet. Dillard will be adding another 64,000 square feet from the Rothschild's acquisition, making the expanded, 234,000-square-foot Dillard's store the largest in the mall.

Dillard will open its newly acquired space late next week, perhaps Thursday, Berger said. Inventory will get under way starting Sunday.

Rothschild's has been at Penn Square since the mall opened in 1960. The store underwent a major expansion in 1967.

In September 1990 Clark announced his intention to close his Crossroads and Quail Springs mall stores. He cited the rising cost of leasing space as a major factor in a consolidation to Penn Square.

Edith Downey, Rothschild's credit manager, said Friday she could understand why Clark accepted Dillard's offer to buy the store.

Downey said she is retiring after 56 years at Rothschild's.

"There comes a time when everybody needs to stop and smell the roses," she said

"Rothschild's was a beautiful store, and it meant an awful lot to people in Oklahoma City. They've been coming in, and they've been telling us how much they will miss us. " Another Rothschild's product, Gerald Warner, was at the store 35 years, including 13 years as president. He now owns Jerome's at North Park Mall.

"Over the years Rothschild's has been an excellent training ground," Warner said. "I still think this is the greatest place in the world for the individual merchant. All you have to do is fall back on the old style of service, personal attention, sales people helping in the fitting rooms, helping in the alteration department.

Rothschild's was always good at that. " Paul Cotney is leaving Rothschild's, where he leases space for the shoe department, and will open what he believes is the largest shoe store in the state - the Shoe Gallery Warehouse at North Park Mall with 15,000-square-feet of space and 20,000 pairs of shoes.

Cotney expressed a high regard for Clark and the Rothschild's operation.

"I think he ran a good business and did a very good service for himself and the people in his stores," Cotney said. "Anybody that paid attention learned a lot from him. " Oklahoma City-based Rothschild's traces its roots to 1855 in Fort Leavenworth, Kan.

Rothschild's has operated in Oklahoma City 65 years. The company is said to employ about 145.

The Dillard acquisition includes the Rothschild's property (excluding leases) at the Rothschild's Mayfair Village store, 4817 N May, and the Rothschild's Service Center, 8100 N Classen Blvd. The closing joins a growing list of familiar Oklahoma City retailers who quit business in recent years.

This thread needs a bump. Knox by way of Italy:


Schaefer Hat Store was a Saginaw, MI staple for 90 years (1914-2004):

Here's one from across the pond. Woodrow Amylyte bowler from Rowans:

Founded in 1846 as merchant tailors and boys outfitters in Glasgow, Scotland.

Original Argyle Street location:


Later moved to Buchanan Street. See Past Glasgow link for a neat slider juxtaposition of the old versus modern front of the building.

See link below for additional Argyle Street location photos:

• Historic England Archives (begin with 3rd record)

BobHufford said:

I don't have a hat from here, but would love to.
"At the turn of the last century The Springfield Hat Co ...

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I think I have located a hat made by this company. This ratty old bowler was sold by The Kintrea's Hat Shop in Springfield, Missouri.







The Kintrea family was involved with The Springfield Hat Co. (John Kintrea was V.P. and F.S. Kintrea was the Credit Manager).



The Kintrea store most likely opened with the opening of the McDaniel building in 1911. That building replaced the Baldwin Theatre which was destroyed by fire in 1909.



The Kintrea's store was on the right front corner of the McDaniel building (to the left of Hotel Springfield). This from 1926:





I have found ads from 1913 to 1926 (I will share those when I can get the full images), but I'm not sure how long the shop was in business. This ad is from 1913.



Today:

Stetson 3X with the embroidered Last Drop liner. Late 1950s / early 1960s? From Metherd's Saddlery in Red Bluff, California.







The store was in this 613 Main Street (renumberd 615 at some point) location from at least the early 1940s up until 1971 anyway. Fourth store-front from the left (1920s car parked in front in the top pic and the Coast to Coast store in the 1970s pic).



Circa 1940s. On the left between The Sports Shop and Fickerts.



1970s location in the Old Cowtown Plaza.

BobHufford said:

Stetson 3X with the embroidered Last Drop liner. Late 1950s / early 1960s? From Metherd's Saddlery in Red Bluff, California.

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The store was in this 613 Main Street (renumberd 615 at some point) location from at least the early 1940s up until 1971 anyway. Fourth store-front from the left (1920s car parked in front in the top pic and the Coast to Coast store in the 1970s pic).

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Circa 1940s. On the left between The Sports Shop and Fickerts.

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1970s location in the Old Cowtown Plaza.

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You're really good at this.

Frunobulax said:

You're really good at this.

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Thanks Jim. I enjoy the hunt.