My Merrimac Fedora v.02

[mannySpaghetti]

Well, I just received my old Merrimac back from "Mike the Hatter" in Cleveland, OH and I was a little disappointed. They did a fine job of cleaning and reblocking it, thing is, when I sent this off a couple weeks ago it was a "C" crown, the original block, but then I open the box today and it's blocked with a center dent. GAH!!! I just spent the last 30 minutes sweating my butt off putting the "C" back in it with a tight pinch. Secondly, I really liked the color of the hat ribbon they put on it the first time I sent it in, as well as the bow style. Here's a LINK showing what it looked like the first time around. But as you can see, they changed it out to a different color and the bow, well, it's just so.....simple.

I figure maybe they didn't have the same color, but dang, the ribbon could've been a bit more impressive. I dunno', maybe I'm reaching a little. I don't think it detracts from the look of the hat, but still. I did manage to put the original block back in it though, that was the most important thing. That center dent made it look so goofy! Being that it's quite an old hat, the cleaning took a toll on the brim edge and now I can see some of the felt where it curves downward, so I'm a little bummed about that. Does anyone know where I could send it so that I can have the brim edge redone? I did ask "Mike", but I'm guessing they didn't have the equipment to do that. Optimo perhaps? and has anyone ever had that done? Any information on this is GREATLY appreciated.

 

[Brad Bowers]

Umm, no offense is intended, but the ribbon looks like it was put back on by someone who didn't know what they were doing. It also looks like it was done more for expediency than anything else.

They should have talked to you first if they couldn't salvage the old ribbon, particularly if they were going to change the color on you. I would call them on that one.

The crease isn't that big of a deal, as everyone should be able to put in their own crease to their own liking, as you have done. If anything, they should have sent it back open crowned. But, some hat boxes don't accommodate a tall open crown, and so a simple crease is necessary to fit it into the box. I don't know if that was the case with your hat.

As for the edge binding, that's terrible that their cleaning process was so hard on the ribbon.

Optimo would be a good choice for re-binding and a new ribbon.

Brad

 

[Lefty]

I live with 45 minutes of Mike the Hatter. It's a Cleveland institution that has long since died. If you're looking for production hats, they're a fine place to go. Their work, as you've found out, is shoddy.

 

[carter]

Manny, This sounds like near-total incompetence. Frankly, I'd ask for my money back and do business elsewhere in the future.

 

[mannySpaghetti]

Thanks for the reply guys and no offense Brad. I didn't think it was up to par myself. As far as the binding went, I knew when I first received it from ebaY that it was on it's last leg, so I won't shoot the blame at "Mike", but you're right, they should've called me to discuss the color and bow change. That's so sad, they did an Ok job I thought the last time. Oh well, you live and you learn right? However, I did call Optimo today and the rep was really really helpful, so I think from here on out, my hat's will be taking a trip to Chi-town. If a few more bucks is going to get my favorite hat back in shape, so be it. I do plan on calling "Mike the Hatter" tomorrow, but I'm not going to hold my breath getting my money back. Pray to the fedora gods for me guys, lol.

 

[mannySpaghetti]

Well, I called "Mike the Hatter's" this morning and spoke with "Nancy" the receptionist and asked her who was in charge of hat cleaning and what not. She kept beating around the bush and told me that I should send the hat back to them. Well, I voiced my ire about my hat and their shoddy work and told her their was no way they were touching my hat again after what they did to my hat. The different block, the hat ribbon changed out WITHOUT my permission and the damage to the binding. I demanded the name of the person who I initially asked about and she finally gave up "George". "Where's George then, I want to speak to him". "He'll tell you the same thing", "I don't care, where is he?", he doesn't work out of the office". "Is that right?, I want my money back". "You'll have to send it back to us".....then it kind of tailed off from there. Not pretty.

Word to the wise from me and those that have had the same experience getting your hat cleaned by "Mike the Hatter".
DO NOT SEND IT TO THOSE JOKERS!!!
They're unprofessional and as far as I'm concerned shouldn't be servicing anyone's hat. Boy I'm so pissed about it. Oh well, so is life. Off to Optimo it shall go to be done right.

 

[MattJH]

Noted.

Glad my Whippet is on its way to Optimo.

 

[HarpPlayerGene]

Manny, thank you for sharing this experience. I wish it hadn't happened to you but you've done a service by letting us know how it all unfolded.

It is apparent by your first posts that you are not a hot-headed person. If anything, your attitude was very polite and fair-minded as you explained the concerns. You were sort of giving them the benefit of the doubt in some of your concerns.

Then, it seems, they added to the problem and you have the right to be somewhat indignant about that.

 

[tonyb]

Bummer, manny. But thanks for warning us off those clowns.

Brad is right. Whoever made that bow and attached it and the ribbon either didn't know what he was doing or, worse yet, didn't care enough to do even a so-so job of it.

And they messed up your edge binding. That's easy enough to do, as it turns out, but once a person has made that mistake once, he ought to know better than to do it again. It sounds like the person who worked on your hat is either inexperienced or ill-suited to his job.