Last month the Midwest’s premier hat shop—and one of the region’s only hat-makers—moved from its storefront at the Avalon Theater and into the former location of the Boulevard Theatre. The new Brass Rooster (2252 S. Kinnickinnic Ave.) has doubled the space of the original venue; the room once occupied by Boulevard’s black box theater is now a brightly painted lounge devoted to something they didn’t sell at the old Rooster—women’s hats. The old store’s manly atmosphere of dark wood and leather is preserved in the men’s section, where wool hats, straw hats, felt hats, watch caps and those furry things with ear flaps are arrayed in full dress splendor. Off the Cuff sat down with co-owner John McLaughlin, who held forth from the corner of his store on a 1923 barbershop chair.
Why did you move?
More room! We quickly outgrew the old space, where we made do as best we could, strategically using every last inch of space. We were tripping over each other. The time had come.
Were you committed to staying in Bay View?
Absolutely. There’s no other place where we want to be. It’s one of the most successful parts of town. People here take pride in their community. They appreciate small businesses and craftsmanship. It’s a fast-growing area and easily accessible. The building we’re in is ideal.
How did you get into the hat business?
It was my wife Kate’s idea for us to open the shop. I’d been a hat guy since I was 10—I learned to reshape and clean them. There were no real hatters left in the city and we saw the need. We scrimped, saved, planned and got everything in motion.
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The last hat shop, Donges, went out of business 15 years ago…
We have one of their glass display cases. It was a great store, but they didn’t clean or block hats as we do. They just sold them.
When they went under, some said it was a sign that hats were doomed. Why the comeback?
People blame John F. Kennedy for the death of men’s hats, but it wasn’t his fault. Suburban sprawl and television were responsible for the death of hats.
How so?
People used to walk to work or use public transportation with plenty of headroom. Then people moved to the suburbs; they drove everywhere in their own cars and the rooflines came down. We were once a front-porch society but television caused more people to stay indoors.
But in the last few years hats have become hip?
I don’t know if it’s hip. I don’t see it as a trend, but a return to classic style. Men just look good in suits and hats. Also, a hat can be as expressive as the person wearing it.
You make custom hats. Why, with the enormous inventory you have, would someone want a custom hat?
It’s for people who want the little details nobody else can get—the color for the stitching on the brim or—especially—the fit. We take the shape of your head so the hat will fit exactly. A custom-made hat wouldn’t look right on anyone else’s head!
