Hatmaker Joshua Hertel (left) and Garrahan Hat Co-Owner, Rob Houston, recently opened a new storefront to sell, make and fix vintage hats.  Hertel bought his first vintage hat from Houston 10 years ago, and says he has worn it every day since. “It’s satisfying to see customers realize their cherished hat wasn’t a lost cause, it just needed a little love from hatters.”

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Garrahan Hat Co

There was a time when hat shops were as common as hardware stores and cobblers in small towns across America, and Rob Houston wants to bring that tradition back.

In March, he opened Garrahan Hat Co. in Old Towne as a standalone store after running it out of Joyride Vintage, a business he and his wife, Kristine Houston, own.

Rob and Kristine got their start selling vintage clothing at flea markets and booth spaces before opening Joyride, which has been in Old Towne for more than 18 years.  They were already carrying vintage hats when Rob, who comes from a construction background, taught himself to refurbish and eventually create them.  Everything he knows about the craft he learned by doing, picking up vintage and antique equipment along the way.

“I like making things with my hands and seeing the finished product,” says Rob.  “Being able to stand back and go, ‘I made that’ is a huge outlet of creativity for me.”

The shop offers custom hats, restoration services, and a curated vintage selection, with a focus on 1950s-era and older styles that are hard to find in modern hat stores.

Last year, Rob purchased a hat maker’s business out of Las Vegas, which doubled his equipment and made a dedicated workspace outside of Joyride necessary.

Joshua Hertel, who handles much of the day-to-day custom and restoration work, says customers often bring in hats they’ve given up on.

“It’s always satisfying when I get to see the look on a customer’s face when they realize their cherished hat wasn't a lost cause.  It just needed a little love from some hatters who knew a thing or two about fixing it up right,” Hertel says.  “I’m looking forward to people proudly spreading the word that they have a local hat guy in town.”

Because Garrahan specializes in styles from a bygone era, much of the work is deeply personal.  Rob recalls one customer who brought in a charcoal drawing of his great-grandfather and asked Rob to recreate the hat in the portrait.  It was the customer’s first hat, and it inspired him to become a hat maker himself.

Looking ahead, the pair plans to move into small production runs, offering a handful of signature styles that recreate antique designs and give customers heirloom-quality hats they can wear for years.

And for anyone who might feel a little unsure about wearing a hat, Hertel has a simple reminder.  “You’re not a hat person, until you are.”

Garrahan Hat Co
111 North Olive St., Old Towne Orange, CA 92866  /  949-512-5292