I'm traveling and happened to end up near Barons hats in Burbank, which I was always curious to visit. Having now stopped by there, I have to say, no offense to the quality of the hats, the shop was pretty useless. The girl behind the counter was kind of clueless and didn't seem to be able to answer any of my questions. It was a big let down, especially since I don't often get a chance to check out hatshops. Maybe I just went in on a bad day. Now I'm back to traveling though, and I won't be stopping at Baron hats again. Oh well.
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Not impressed with barons hatshop
- Thread starter Lando
- Start date
Lloyd
A-List Customer
- Messages
- 451
- Location
- Los Angeles
Sadly it's pretty much always like that.
Last time I was in Mark, the owner said 2 days to replace a sweat band. 7 days later.......
Last time I was in Mark, the owner said 2 days to replace a sweat band. 7 days later.......
Rick Blaine
My Mail is Forwarded Here
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- 3,958
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Baron
Overpriced, over hyped Hollywood hooey, IMO.
Overpriced, over hyped Hollywood hooey, IMO.
fluteplayer07
One Too Many
- Messages
- 1,844
- Location
- Michigan
I've heard much of the same; that they're fairly overpriced, and um... slightly misleading in their sales claims. Not to bash, just what I've heard through the grapevine.
Tiller
Practically Family
- Messages
- 637
- Location
- Upstate, New York
fluteplayer07 said:
I've heard the same thing, but have had no dealings with them. I'd be interested to hear any input from their defenders, if their are any.
danofarlington
My Mail is Forwarded Here
- Messages
- 3,122
- Location
- Arlington, Virginia
I'll defend them. Someone at home (no one fessed up) stepped on my $800 Borsalino Panama fedora. It had to be re-blocked. I talked to Mark of Baron Hats on the phone, sent it to him, and he/they re-blocked it about as well as you can do without the original Borsalino block. So they had a task with a quality hat, and did it well. That was only a year or so ago.Tiller said:
Burton
One of the Regulars
- Messages
- 144
- Location
- Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station
I was quite impressed with my new "Hunter" hat (beaver) I purchased and had some great e-mail contact with Mark. It was expensive but a great hat that I will actually use in the venue it was designed for. I have no time for costume wear.
The Good
Call Me a Cab
- Messages
- 2,361
- Location
- California, USA
Burton said:
Now I like that attitude. Putting a good hat to good use, even though it is expensive, very expensive. I don't know why, but the most appealing hat I find on Baron's website, is the "Blondie" reproduction straw hat (could be made felt too) from The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. Extremely pricey though, and I could just as well find something nearly identical for a much lower price, maybe a SunBody or some sort of wide-brimmed Panama that could fit the bill.
Le Samouraï
New in Town
- Messages
- 6
- Location
- Los Angeles/ Paris
A very welcome praise of Baron Hats
I’ve written about Baron’s before, and I see some people a bit miffed about them, so I feel it important to not only defend them but praise them.
I will admit right here that I am not a very good customer when it comes to my hats. I have had a passion for them all my life (my father, who came from Europe always wore fedoras his whole life, and they mean a great deal to me), and I have “laid waste” to many a hat shop who have either ruined repairs of my beloved hats, and to the few remaining hatters that claim to actually make them. When it comes to hats, I become insanely difficult! However, I have sent hats to Baron’s for repair many times, with copious notes and even diagrams of exactly what I wanted. At first I didn’t think they (because of my past experience with other shops), were even reading my notes, or cared, and I was very, oh, shall we say “strong” with them. But all that time, I was amazed at the time and care I received from Mark Mejia, the master hatter, and others in the shop. And the patience! They were so good to me, that I quickly calmed down! They not only have incredible knowledge of hats, but truly have the ability to fix anything. The hats came back better than the originals.
After that when I was in Los Angeles, I went to the shop (you must go there, you will feel like you've gone back in time, when there was a hatter on every corner!), and brought two of my father’s beloved hats. The care and respect they paid to them was amazing, and bottom line, they made them into works of art.
Speaking of which, even more important, their custom hats are true works of art. As I’ve said before, I now have five custom made Baron’s, and they are without a doubt the best hats I’ve ever owned. And that’s saying a lot for me. I usually find fault in every hat I buy or have made! (I have no idea why my wife puts up with my hat thing!). I was like a kid in a candy store walking through their shop. I’ve read about so many tools used, and they have them all, including so much one-of-kind equipment that goes back over a hundred years or more. All of it in perfect condition (I saw someone at their shop whose job it seems is do nothing but retool these rare finds and keep them in shape). No, the place isn’t sterile like the tasteless plastic wrapped meat aisles at your supermarket, and the retail stock (most of which is their custom made hats at decent prices) is not always displayed like some cheap mall “Ye Ole Hat Shoppe” that has a million hats from China. But is that what you want at one of the last remaining custom hand made hat shops in the world? This is the real thing. This really is Geppetto’s shop. Not some fake Disney thing. It’s not all computer scanned, and sometimes hats do take longer than expected. But my God… every one is hand made, and hand repaired! You are getting the craftsmanship of someone who dedicates his life to the thing we all cherish. That we all have a passion for. Give him some slack! He’s not Blockbuster Video, or some assembly line China sweatshop, pounding out hats in paper.
As we all know it takes years to become a Master Hatter, and Baron’s has Mark, and several apprentices working long hours. In the back, they still have the original steam-heads which they use to hand shape the hats, and hundreds of blocks for crowns and brims, many from some of the most famous heads in Hollywood and beyond. Some here on the Lounge have said they are “pricey”. Really? Check out what it cost to make a hand crafted hat (which as you know can take up to twenty-different steps) in the best fur felts and beavers available. Actually I was surprised at how low the prices are compared to other custom hatters I’ve dealt with who don't come up to their quality in workmanship and materials.
Seems to me, we should be thankful that Baron’s is still with us, when as we all are aware, hatters, and shops are dying out every year, with no one and nothing to replace them. Mr. Mejia is keeping the art alive, and making amazing product. The fact that celebrities, movies, TV, and hat lovers from all over the world keep coming to him speaks volumes of his quality.
I also noticed the love and delight that everyone in the shop has for the hat. I watched as customers came in off the street, just to see what's inside, and "caught" the passion from the people there. Just as we did. I watched as this couple with a little boy all left with a hat, and that look we all know that says: "I've discovered something magical, and I'm coming back for more". The care and attention they give to people, to passing on the passion, that alone is something we all should cherish.
One last thing, there was some really ugly stuff written here about Baron’s history. Check it out yourself. Everything is say is true. Go to the shop. Look at the amazing collection of hats. Check out their wonderful research library full of notes from some of the most famous hats. And tell me, where else are you going to find both this kind of craftsmanship, and history? And most important, who else, as I said, is keeping it alive?
Final note. We all know about hatters. And we know what they make, money wise, and what the cost to make a hat is, compared to what they charge. We also know what it cost to keep a shop going. Ask yourself this. Is Baron’s (and especially Mark) getting “rich” off this business? You know the answer. This is not something you do so you can live like a “hedge fund manager”, or CEO of some oil company. You do it for the passion and love of the hat. Celebrate that, fellow hat people. And feel good that a Baron’s, with its passion for hats, and history, still is alive in this day and age. And hope it stays around for our children to enjoy. Thanks for “listening”. Please feel free to contact me if you have any other questions about all this.
I’ve written about Baron’s before, and I see some people a bit miffed about them, so I feel it important to not only defend them but praise them.
I will admit right here that I am not a very good customer when it comes to my hats. I have had a passion for them all my life (my father, who came from Europe always wore fedoras his whole life, and they mean a great deal to me), and I have “laid waste” to many a hat shop who have either ruined repairs of my beloved hats, and to the few remaining hatters that claim to actually make them. When it comes to hats, I become insanely difficult! However, I have sent hats to Baron’s for repair many times, with copious notes and even diagrams of exactly what I wanted. At first I didn’t think they (because of my past experience with other shops), were even reading my notes, or cared, and I was very, oh, shall we say “strong” with them. But all that time, I was amazed at the time and care I received from Mark Mejia, the master hatter, and others in the shop. And the patience! They were so good to me, that I quickly calmed down! They not only have incredible knowledge of hats, but truly have the ability to fix anything. The hats came back better than the originals.
After that when I was in Los Angeles, I went to the shop (you must go there, you will feel like you've gone back in time, when there was a hatter on every corner!), and brought two of my father’s beloved hats. The care and respect they paid to them was amazing, and bottom line, they made them into works of art.
Speaking of which, even more important, their custom hats are true works of art. As I’ve said before, I now have five custom made Baron’s, and they are without a doubt the best hats I’ve ever owned. And that’s saying a lot for me. I usually find fault in every hat I buy or have made! (I have no idea why my wife puts up with my hat thing!). I was like a kid in a candy store walking through their shop. I’ve read about so many tools used, and they have them all, including so much one-of-kind equipment that goes back over a hundred years or more. All of it in perfect condition (I saw someone at their shop whose job it seems is do nothing but retool these rare finds and keep them in shape). No, the place isn’t sterile like the tasteless plastic wrapped meat aisles at your supermarket, and the retail stock (most of which is their custom made hats at decent prices) is not always displayed like some cheap mall “Ye Ole Hat Shoppe” that has a million hats from China. But is that what you want at one of the last remaining custom hand made hat shops in the world? This is the real thing. This really is Geppetto’s shop. Not some fake Disney thing. It’s not all computer scanned, and sometimes hats do take longer than expected. But my God… every one is hand made, and hand repaired! You are getting the craftsmanship of someone who dedicates his life to the thing we all cherish. That we all have a passion for. Give him some slack! He’s not Blockbuster Video, or some assembly line China sweatshop, pounding out hats in paper.
As we all know it takes years to become a Master Hatter, and Baron’s has Mark, and several apprentices working long hours. In the back, they still have the original steam-heads which they use to hand shape the hats, and hundreds of blocks for crowns and brims, many from some of the most famous heads in Hollywood and beyond. Some here on the Lounge have said they are “pricey”. Really? Check out what it cost to make a hand crafted hat (which as you know can take up to twenty-different steps) in the best fur felts and beavers available. Actually I was surprised at how low the prices are compared to other custom hatters I’ve dealt with who don't come up to their quality in workmanship and materials.
Seems to me, we should be thankful that Baron’s is still with us, when as we all are aware, hatters, and shops are dying out every year, with no one and nothing to replace them. Mr. Mejia is keeping the art alive, and making amazing product. The fact that celebrities, movies, TV, and hat lovers from all over the world keep coming to him speaks volumes of his quality.
I also noticed the love and delight that everyone in the shop has for the hat. I watched as customers came in off the street, just to see what's inside, and "caught" the passion from the people there. Just as we did. I watched as this couple with a little boy all left with a hat, and that look we all know that says: "I've discovered something magical, and I'm coming back for more". The care and attention they give to people, to passing on the passion, that alone is something we all should cherish.
One last thing, there was some really ugly stuff written here about Baron’s history. Check it out yourself. Everything is say is true. Go to the shop. Look at the amazing collection of hats. Check out their wonderful research library full of notes from some of the most famous hats. And tell me, where else are you going to find both this kind of craftsmanship, and history? And most important, who else, as I said, is keeping it alive?
Final note. We all know about hatters. And we know what they make, money wise, and what the cost to make a hat is, compared to what they charge. We also know what it cost to keep a shop going. Ask yourself this. Is Baron’s (and especially Mark) getting “rich” off this business? You know the answer. This is not something you do so you can live like a “hedge fund manager”, or CEO of some oil company. You do it for the passion and love of the hat. Celebrate that, fellow hat people. And feel good that a Baron’s, with its passion for hats, and history, still is alive in this day and age. And hope it stays around for our children to enjoy. Thanks for “listening”. Please feel free to contact me if you have any other questions about all this.
handlebar bart
Call Me a Cab
- Messages
- 2,623
- Location
- at work
Rick Blaine said:
^this
AlterEgo
A-List Customer
- Messages
- 320
- Location
- Southern USA
Le Samourai--
And I thought I was verbose!
Other, reasonable people--
Rick's post, "Overpriced, over hyped Hollywood hooey, IMO," captures the essence of Baron's in a nutshell.
To expand, while I have no doubt as to Mark's or his apprentice's competence, the problems are with 1) the lack of customer service and knowledge most of the other employees possess and, 2) the hideous hype and jaw-dropping prices which suggest, "I'd feel much more comfortable spending my hard-earned money elsewhere."
To the point--do your hat business with Art or Gus or Bob or Penman--you'll be glad you did.
And I thought I was verbose!
Other, reasonable people--
Rick's post, "Overpriced, over hyped Hollywood hooey, IMO," captures the essence of Baron's in a nutshell.
To expand, while I have no doubt as to Mark's or his apprentice's competence, the problems are with 1) the lack of customer service and knowledge most of the other employees possess and, 2) the hideous hype and jaw-dropping prices which suggest, "I'd feel much more comfortable spending my hard-earned money elsewhere."
To the point--do your hat business with Art or Gus or Bob or Penman--you'll be glad you did.
fluteplayer07
One Too Many
- Messages
- 1,844
- Location
- Michigan
Rick Blaine said:
Ya know, I'll just come out and say it. Yes. Honestly, $798 for the 'Dillinger hat' in the wrong color...? shakeshead
Sorry for dragging this on, but it just bugs me.
Matt Deckard
Man of Action
- Messages
- 10,045
It's not really the hatshop to compare to the hatters out there that we hold in high esteem on this forum. They don't stitch in the linings and they tent to do a wobbly job on bound edges. It's a shop that works on getting what they can to the movie industry as fast as they can. Consider them more of a costumer. Sweatbands tend to be a bit wobbly and finishing isn't what you'd expect from top end hatters we all know.
I walk in the shop to touch base now and again, but I don't have my hats worked on in their shop.
I walk in the shop to touch base now and again, but I don't have my hats worked on in their shop.
I'm not making any comments on Baron's pricing or the quality of their hats in anyway. That was never my intent. I just wasn't impressed by their actual physical hat shop. You have to understand that I'm careful about my time and where I use it. Ever since I read Seneca's philosophy on the shortness of time and how it's the only resource we truly have a limited supply of so why would you let anyone waste it, I watch my moments. I had to go somewhat out of my way to get to Barons and the shop just didn't seem worth the time wasted on getting there. To give you a comparison, I managed to stop in at Worth and Worth in New York to get a ribbon fixed on my hat, and they were very nice. Their hat shop is a tiny little place but I found the people there very nice, very helpful and they fixed the ribbon the way I wanted it while I got coffee. I'm not extolling their incredible hats or anything like that, I just felt their shop was run well and the people working there were helpful. I've never been to Optimo, but Tiffany has been an angel on the phone dealing with me. If I'm ever in Chicago I will go out of my way to stop in at Optimo and check them out. It's not even about hat shops really, it's more about the user experience when dealing with specialty markets. I use to do a lot of business with Vanson Leathers in Mass., and always dealt with the same woman there. When she left, the person I dealt with after her was kind of a loose cannon that dropped the ball quite a few times. So, I stopped doing so much business with them. The user experience should be part of the price of the thing, what ever that thing is. I wasn't impressed by the Baron Hat shop, but I have dealt with them over the phone and they have been quite nice to me. In the age of the internet, maybe the shop experience is dead?
Someone (well, the two-year-old in our household) stomped on my Akubra Fed IV Deluxe and I found it flat on the floor. I picked it up and punched the crown out and reshaped it. As good as new, if not better for the kind softening massage that my daughter had provided it.danofarlington said:
Widebrim
I'll Lock Up
- Messages
- 6,557
About four years ago, my vintage Penney's Marathon was sent by Hollywood Hatters to Baron's, to have the sweatband replaced. The new sweatband came back warped. I then went to Baron's, explained what had been done by them (via middleman Hollywood Hatters), and was told that I could have it fixed if I paid $40 more. I haven't set foot in the place since.
- Messages
- 54,308
Widebrim said:
Gee, how nice of them.
It was their shoddy workmanship int eh first place! :eusa_doh: I would run in the opposite direction if it were me. Then, I would likely have a little talk with my local Better Business Bureau.
Le Samouraï
New in Town
- Messages
- 6
- Location
- Los Angeles/ Paris
Not Verbose - just honest
Not verbose, just honest
Seems there’s more than just Baron bashing with some of you. Like a real vindictive streak, which is totally unwarranted. Something’s said are just not true. For example, someone I believe said that the sweatbands are not hand-sewn. On the hats where that is warranted they are. In fact I was at a charity event not long ago and George Lopez was there, who has all his hats made at Baron’s, and also has them make special hats that he presents to special guests right on his show, and we ended up “geeking out” on hat talk (he’s a real hat guy), and he was showing me the workmanship on his Baron, including the hand sewing, which Mark Mejia did himself for him as he watched. They also have an amazing sewing machine at the shop that’s many years old, and first creates an “inlet” around the sweatband, and then it is sewn, so that the stitch itself is impeded into the sweatband, giving you a perfect “no stitch” feel. That’s the kind of detail they do. Someone else called Mark an “apprentice”. I don’t know, but if I have been a hatter for twenty-five years, I sort of think that takes you out of the realm. Look, I have no ill feelings about anyone. I don’t know any of you, and I’m sure you are all terrific people, and we’re only talking hats here. And I don’t own stock in Baron Hats, or get any kind of discount or anything. As I said, I just love hats made the old fashion way, and yes, there are lots of good hatters, and I hope there will be more in the future. But we all know it’s a dying art, not a thriving one, and to have someone like Mark out there, just like the other hatters is a great thing. His staff changes, since many are interns and apprentices who move on to other things, but when I know many people (and of course, me), who have been to the shop, or talked to them, and I found them not only informative, but totally passionate about hats, and gave real personal service. I’m sure there are slip-ups with any shop, bad days etc., but you have to look at it as a whole. They do a great deal of work and have for many years, and are still there, still thriving, and have many, many fans, and loyal followers. In fact, I was checking out a loan company (anyone know a good company for refinancing a house?!) with the Better Business Bureau, (the one I checked had a C- Rating… not good!), and just for grins, I checked out Baron’s. They have been with the BBB for many years (I think since 1995 or something), and have an A+ Rating. If only I could find a loan company with that! Okay, so you’re right… I am “verbose”. Sorry for the long response again… but it’s just I respect Baron Hats, and what they do, and how they do it.
Not verbose, just honest
Seems there’s more than just Baron bashing with some of you. Like a real vindictive streak, which is totally unwarranted. Something’s said are just not true. For example, someone I believe said that the sweatbands are not hand-sewn. On the hats where that is warranted they are. In fact I was at a charity event not long ago and George Lopez was there, who has all his hats made at Baron’s, and also has them make special hats that he presents to special guests right on his show, and we ended up “geeking out” on hat talk (he’s a real hat guy), and he was showing me the workmanship on his Baron, including the hand sewing, which Mark Mejia did himself for him as he watched. They also have an amazing sewing machine at the shop that’s many years old, and first creates an “inlet” around the sweatband, and then it is sewn, so that the stitch itself is impeded into the sweatband, giving you a perfect “no stitch” feel. That’s the kind of detail they do. Someone else called Mark an “apprentice”. I don’t know, but if I have been a hatter for twenty-five years, I sort of think that takes you out of the realm. Look, I have no ill feelings about anyone. I don’t know any of you, and I’m sure you are all terrific people, and we’re only talking hats here. And I don’t own stock in Baron Hats, or get any kind of discount or anything. As I said, I just love hats made the old fashion way, and yes, there are lots of good hatters, and I hope there will be more in the future. But we all know it’s a dying art, not a thriving one, and to have someone like Mark out there, just like the other hatters is a great thing. His staff changes, since many are interns and apprentices who move on to other things, but when I know many people (and of course, me), who have been to the shop, or talked to them, and I found them not only informative, but totally passionate about hats, and gave real personal service. I’m sure there are slip-ups with any shop, bad days etc., but you have to look at it as a whole. They do a great deal of work and have for many years, and are still there, still thriving, and have many, many fans, and loyal followers. In fact, I was checking out a loan company (anyone know a good company for refinancing a house?!) with the Better Business Bureau, (the one I checked had a C- Rating… not good!), and just for grins, I checked out Baron’s. They have been with the BBB for many years (I think since 1995 or something), and have an A+ Rating. If only I could find a loan company with that! Okay, so you’re right… I am “verbose”. Sorry for the long response again… but it’s just I respect Baron Hats, and what they do, and how they do it.
