Paul’s Hat Works

Helped me design what I wanted. Took their time. Did it right. Good shop. Good crew. Silverbelly brim up fedora.

Paul’s Hats is really suffering since the other gals left. You can leave a message at the store or
on the phone but don’t count on getting a call back. The last member of the group has no social graces or sense of customer service.

I have been hauling a fedora across the country with me since purchasing it for a six-​pack of beer from (what was called back then) a hobo.
At that point it was in rough shape. And it didn’t improve much in the 40+ ensuing years with stops in Buffalo, Chicago, Florida, Seattle, Memphis and, finally, the Bay Area.
Deciding it was time to show it a little love (and make it wearable in public) I checked out Unilocal review’s and found Paul’s. Did some Googling and decided these were the folks who could do the job.
I was right. The work is not cheap, but neither are the results.
There were two small holes — barely visible — that were beyond repair, but I believe they merely add to intrigue of a fedora from another age.
My next stop may be to purchase one of their gorgeous custom-​made hats!

I waited over a year to go to Paul’s because I live in San Luis Obispo. I had looked a numerous hats online and stores from LA to SF and never found the right fit, look, or materials. I was there on 1÷10÷15 to order and measure and received my hat yesterday 3÷5÷15, even 5 days earlier than expected. I dealt with Ms. Clarke who was gracious as well as very knowledgeable. My black beaver fedora looks and feels fantastic! Very smart. It fit perfectly. Could not recommend a better milliner.

the service is maybe the worse i have seen in an apparel store– ever. face to face they are fine but try to get them to respond to an email «contact us» or return a voice mail or even a direct message and forget it. i have been disappointed on 3 occasions. the most recent the person i spoke to did not pass my request along to a knowledgeable person and she said she was not allowed to use the computer to respond! i have purchased 2 custom hats and many accessories but i will never shop therte again

The women of Paul’s Hat Shop Rock!
I have in trusted my very fine hats to their care and have never been disappointed.
They possess a nice selection of hats for retail.
I HIGHLY RECOMMEND this business, and the very cool owners!
Tim and Marla Nolan

This is the best! I first bought a hat there years ago, & still wear it along with more recent purchases.

Visited Pauls Hat Shop because my friend from KY knows the owner of the branch out there. He told her he’d stop by and give them her well wishes.
Imagine my surprise when I walked in and found beautiful displays of old hat boxes, and walls of custom made hats. *Swoon* This place was simply stunning. The fact that the hats are custom, that they do original work, is proof that this is an art that is still in swing.
Olivia was super helpful in telling us about places to visit and things to do, even giving us a heads up on her art show that was happening that night. I will certainly make this a stop later on in my trip, and look at the price of a new chapeaux.

I too am a longtime hat wearer and have bought hats in NYC, New Orleans, Chicago and London. In San Francisco for a few days, I dropped in (found on internet) knowing nothing of the shop prior. I was warmly greeted by a pleasant young woman in maybe a 40’s dress and a stylish hat. Like stepping back 70 years! We chatted the history of the shop, the new ownership by the four primary partners — all young women passionate about hats — and what they were making in the shop. We discussed what I was thinking about and considered a custom make (pork pie) when I spied a hat way up the wall… Walked out with a natural beaver felt «Fillmore» a beautiful hat in fedora medium brim that I wear almost daily.
Men and stylish women take heed. A QUALITY hat is not cheap, but can last longer than you and become a part of you! The «Pauls» have taken up the mantel of hand working TOP quality hats and blocking, cleaning etc… A service now found in only a handful of places around the world. They learned FAST and WELL how to ply this detailed trade using tools and equipment some of which are at LEAST thrice their ages. If you are in San Francisco or now Louisville KY, make a point to visit their shops. You’ll have an interesting experience, and perhaps walk out with or order a stylish, functional, beautiful piece of history that is coming back into style — and SHOULD stay in style in my opinion!

They are good in the business I take my Panama hat and they give my hat life I love it

So I am a long time hat guy. I have bought hats in London, NY SF and Chicago. I am really picky and try only to buy from the best quality purveyors. I am not bragging, just giving color. I wear a fedora or a straw to work daily in the financial district of SF.
Anyway, about 20 years ago I discovered Michael Harris of Pauls Hat Works. He was a quirky but talented, committed hat man. And he knew Panamas. I own three high quality Panamas that he made for me and i love them. But this isn’t abut Michael, it’s about what the 4 ladies who bought Pauls do.
they have rejuvenated a business that was in danger of going away, and thank goodness for that. Far too many quality things in life have been lost due to neglect, or boredom, or whatever. But these 4 have given life to PHW. i have visited the store 4 or five times since they bought it, to shop, talk about upkeep on the straws (which they need), etc.
Two weeks ago I brought in a beloved old camel Churchill fedora that belonged to my stepdad. It was about 40 years old and I loved it, but it was beat up. The ladies clean and block hats-​something only done by a couple of places in the country. And they learned how to do it. We needed to rejuvenate that hat, put on a new band, so we did.
All I can say is, WOW. While they did something more modern than i had anticipated, it looks FANTASTIC. They lowered the crown and put pretty close to a diamond shape top on it. It’s a narrow brim lid so the low crown looks fantastic. So instead of sometimes mr fuddy-​duddy, now I am COOL. So great.
Thanks, Wendy and all of you!

I have been a long time customer at Paul’s and love their service with a smile. Last year they made a custom napoleon hat for a costume that has been the hit at several parties. The new owners have also helped me out with many adjustments of hats that I already owned, doing expert blocking and changes of linings and bands always to perfection! I love their hat creations and the art they bring to this old art of hat making. The store is really nice and always puts a smile on my face to be in there.

In my mind, this place is priceless.
The service and kindness that they provide are truly amazing, and something that is rarely seen these days. I know it is cool to be an «old school» shop and do things the «right way». However, what people don’t realize is that while this is cool, it takes an immense amount of determination and resolve that few people have.
If I do nothing else it will be to sing the praises of Paul’s Hat Works for as long as I can, and wear my hat equally as proudly.
Oh, and I’ve been to every haberdashery in town, and many many elsewhere; and the accusations on Unilocal that these ladies can’t possibly be «Master» hatters after just «Picking up the shop» are simply not true. Kirsten’s handiwork will put you to shame any day.

I’ve been a hat man my entire life, buying hats in NYC, Tennessee, Paris, Ecuador, and beyond. All it takes is a good hat to make me feel like I look good today, which influences everything I do from then on!
When I first found the girls of Paul’s Hat Works, I thought, «Great. more girls making silly feathery hats, just what SF needs!» But then I saw what they had on display and was STUNNED! Straw Top hats and pork pies?!! Beaver fur fedoras?! Hats I could wear! THIS is exciting!
Then I heard their story and became even MORE fascinated with them! The store has SO much history, and the girls have taken on a near lost methodology of hat making. The quality of my hat first hat from them far surpassed anything I had previously owned. They quickly became my dedicated hatters, in charge of any hat I desire, or refurbishing any hat I feel they could make better.
The shop is beautiful, filled to the brim with artifacts of hat making history, and its always got some fun music spinning on the ol’ turntable, and the girls of Paul’s Hat Works are keepin’ the dream alive, and definitely bringing the hat back.
Also, I brought my sister there and she bought TWO fedoras from them on the spot. Our family officially supports PHW.

These ladies are great!
They took two old hats from a lost loved one and removed the mold that had collected due to poor storage on one of them and restored to great condition. The second hat, and old cowboy hat, they resized and reshaped into a beautiful fedora. Both hats had great sentimental value and I’m glad I entrusted them to these four pairs of skilled hands.

I took in my $ 260 (retail) Black Borsalino English Newsboy cap to have it cleaned and as nice as the store keeper was, she ruined a perfectly good hat. I had brought it with me for a cleaning along with a Stetson panama that had some staining. I was told the the Borsalino was in great condition so it was to my surprise that it was ruined. I feel that Paul’s could have offered me a discount on a custom fitted or some compensation for an obvious mistake by the hat maker. This was months ago but I did not want anyone else to find out after the fact that Paul’s is not a place to get this type of hat cleaned. It was shrunk and now shaped like a German storm trooper helmet. Very sad to have such a nice hat that fit so well become garbage.

I own many hats. Most of them are Borsalinos. My favorite hat is a Borsalino Beaver Fur Felt hat, a fedora. I paid $ 550 for it in 2000 (or so, can’t remember when I got it).
Because it is my favorite hat, I wear it way too much. That is to say, I should alternate it with my other hats, but this Borsalino is the one that ends up on my head most of the time.
So, by the Fall of 2009, it was showing signs of wear. The peak was beginning to wear through. The silk liner was just hanging-​on by threads, and the hat had never been cleaned and blocked. It was rather dirty.
So, I took it here, only to learn that four young women now own the shop, Kirsten, Olivia, Abbie and Wendy.
I dealt with Kirsten. She is polite, and businesslike. She did the work on the hat, and called me with a question during the process.
For $ 150 she repaired the fraying peak (reinforcing it from within), cleaned and re-​installed the slik liner, and cleaned and blocked the felt.
It looks great! I am very pleased.
I confess that I was quite concerned when I learned these ladies had not been in «the hat business» for all that long. However, based upon my experience, they know what they are doing.
Olivia was behind the counter when I picked up my hat. She too is quite pleasant.
This is a unique business. The women running it are skilled. We San Franciscans would do well to support a business like this.
And, oh, for we cat lovers, there is a kitty cat who demands attention when you come in.
UPDATE (01÷02÷10): This «re-​do» of my hat is holding-​up nicely. I had to fabricate a «mold» (hard to explain), in order to flatten-​out the brim a little — just to get it back to a «neutral shape,» but it is great. I continue to be quite pleased.
I walked by the store the other day, and these women had a very appealing, somewhat whimsical, window display installed. These gals are creative!

Here’s a update on the store, in the form of a wonderful article written by SF historian Carl Nolte which appeared in the SF Chronicle 9÷13÷09:

I am glad to announce that Paul’s Hat works has changed ownership (I think Michael retired) and is now back open for business!
Paul’s Hat Works hearkens back to the mid 1900s, a simpler time in the days before the slathering on of SPF50 was the norm and hats provided a man (or a lady) not only sun protection, but also a sense of style. This was a time when class and civility reigned and a man regularly tipped his hat to a lady out of respect.
While I won’t go into the entire story here, the expert weavers (apparently less than 200 still remaining) in Ecuador who manufacture the true works of art (with 500‑1000 hand weaves per square inch) which comprise the finest Panama Hats, are a dying breed and most of these experts are already monopolized by the large hat conglomerates. The world’s finest of these hats take 3 – 6 months to make and can easily be worth $ 25,000 or more. So I knew my mission of finding one of these exquisitely made Monticristis without seriously crippling my bank account would be no easy task.
The newest purveyors of old school haberdashery are four women in the Outer Richmond. In the past decade or two, Paul’s Hat Works (PHW) had become rundown and was in serious need of a re-​freshening. In the recent transfer of ownership, PHW has been pleasantly rejuvenated without losing its old-​world charm. Warm soothing retro music emanates from a classic turntable and the décor still feels mid 20^th century.
I was helped by Olivia, a young woman who’s style and grace easily transcended the bridge between past and present. Currently, the primary stock selection at PHW is Panama hats of varying styles, but Olivia mentioned that some felt hats would also be arriving soon.
As everyone’s head is a different shape, care is taken to provide the best fitting. I was custom fitted with a 150 year old mechanical skull measuring device (which looked to me a lot like a brain scan device directly out of a 1930s science fiction movie) to obtain the exact shape of my head. The device imprinted a pattern on a card that was later used to conform my new hat to the exact shape of my head. The whole process was very quick, yet still had that ‘bespoke’ feeling that I was being custom fit for a suit.
I am now the proud owner of a beautiful Monticristi Panama and I give the very first tip of my new chapeau to the four ladies who have continued the San Francisco legacy of class and style that is Paul’s Hat Works.

a tip of the hat…
I have been shopping in the bay area for hats… for. over… 25 … years.
And I still hadn’t heard of this 90 year old shop.
Thank you thank you thank you!!! going out of biz… so might as well make a purchase.
The steamers and tools he uses are badass.