I wanted to make a post to extend a big thank you to those who've heeded my suggestion to use South Street Hats as a more economic option for your cleans, stretches, and reblocks as well as make sure everybody else knows that they exist and are ready to serve your hats well.
I stopped in there today to drop off my Herbert Johnson for a reblock, and Oscar Pierce, the owner, enthusiastically greeted me to tell me that two people from The Fedora Lounge gave him business by phone last week. Oscar is old-school and isn't really on the Internet, so this is very new for him, and he's thrilled to obtain business from something like this. On his behalf, thank you!
Oscar is in his 38th year in the hat business, and he knows what he's doing. Please be confident that your hats will be treated professionally with very experienced hands. I can personally endorse this, as I've taken two of my most prized hats, my Adam Executive and Dobbs 20, to Oscar for a reblock / stretch / clean. Those links will show you images of the hats before and after. You're looking at spending about 10% of what you would at Optimo in Chicago. This is not meant to take any business away from Optimo (I've used them and they are just phenomenal to work with), but to present another option for what sometimes seems to be a dying trade. Because South Street hats is a six block walk from my apartment, I plan to use them exclusively from now on.
Here is the information on the location:
South Street Hats
810 South Street
Philadelphia, PA 19147
215-829-1600
Here is a fantastic article from 2003 on Oscar and South Street Hats, discussing its relevance and impact on our community here as well as Oscar's history in Philadelphia's long and infamous hat business.
If you decide to send any business Oscar's way, be sure to tell him that you heard about his shop from The Fedora Lounge!
I stopped in there today to drop off my Herbert Johnson for a reblock, and Oscar Pierce, the owner, enthusiastically greeted me to tell me that two people from The Fedora Lounge gave him business by phone last week. Oscar is old-school and isn't really on the Internet, so this is very new for him, and he's thrilled to obtain business from something like this. On his behalf, thank you!
Oscar is in his 38th year in the hat business, and he knows what he's doing. Please be confident that your hats will be treated professionally with very experienced hands. I can personally endorse this, as I've taken two of my most prized hats, my Adam Executive and Dobbs 20, to Oscar for a reblock / stretch / clean. Those links will show you images of the hats before and after. You're looking at spending about 10% of what you would at Optimo in Chicago. This is not meant to take any business away from Optimo (I've used them and they are just phenomenal to work with), but to present another option for what sometimes seems to be a dying trade. Because South Street hats is a six block walk from my apartment, I plan to use them exclusively from now on.
Here is the information on the location:
South Street Hats
810 South Street
Philadelphia, PA 19147
215-829-1600
Here is a fantastic article from 2003 on Oscar and South Street Hats, discussing its relevance and impact on our community here as well as Oscar's history in Philadelphia's long and infamous hat business.
If you decide to send any business Oscar's way, be sure to tell him that you heard about his shop from The Fedora Lounge!
