No place like it!
Recently, I was fortunate enough to stumble into Heritage Hats in Phoenix, Arizona. I went in with only a vague idea of what I wanted. Upon entering the store my vague idea became generalized befuddlement.
The selection was huge. The number of different types of hats and then the styles within each type followed by the sizes in each style made NOT finding a hat pretty much impossible. Still, with so many types, materials, styles and sizes to choose from, I resigned myself to spending quite a bit of time looking and then deciding.
The owner, Rich Glisson, greeted me and listened carefully to my fuzzy idea of what I was thinking of in a hat. I don’t know about you, but listening has become a lost art, but one that produces results for the speaker and the listener and Rich is good at it. I'm guessing he might have done this once or twice before in his 28 years in the hat business.
After a few moments of thought he said, “Let me show you a few you might like and that I think would look good on you.”
You would expect the proprietor of a store to carry a complete inventory in his head and the owner of Heritage Hats does. But to find the perfect item among several hundred similar items is truly finding the proverbial needle in a haystack.
The first hat he picked was, for me, “the one,” however my guide insisted I try on a few others. Each would have worked admirably, but Rich’s first choice for me was the best choice in my book.
Having come to a decision on which hat, it was time to concentrate on size. I don’t live in the States, so Rich knew this hat had to fit correctly. With sizing out of the way, he whisked my hat away, worked a bit of magic on it, explained care and maintenance to me and I was on my way in short order.
Arrange the checklist to suit your own needs, but for type, material, style, size and price, I doubt you could find a better place to select the perfect hat for you. Step inside the shop and you’ll know this is your go-to place for hats.
If you live in the Phoenix/Scottsdale area or even if you are just passing through, put Heritage Hats high on your things-to-do list. You will be glad you did.