John Kitsco

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Our Uncle (John) got into the hat business at the young age of
17, when he began to apprentice at the hat factories in Central
Canada. Then, in 1937 he opened his first shop. Hats were a
big thing in those days.

Our Dad (Paul) worked with John in the business. The boys
would block hats, clean them, sell new ones. There were the
fedoras, bowlers, and even the popular Stetson, better known
as a cowboy hat.

Dad and Uncle John worked for over 50 years in this business,
getting so well known that some of their hats were worn by
well known folks, like Henry Kissinger and former U.S.
President Ford.

I worked briefly in their shop in my upper teens, selling
not only hats but such items as socks, mens undergarments,
virgin wool coats, and many dress shirts and ties.  I remember
going into the basement and looking at the thousands of
wooden moulds. They even had a second location where
they had a hat-blocking machine.

But like many things, the business got slower and slower.
Hats were not so popular as were caps. Even the main
suppliers such as Biltmore and Smithbilt noticed the
trends. The stetson plant was finished.

The customers that bought over a 30 year period were older
and not getting around. Uncle John and Dad worked well into
the eighties but health and old age were good enough reasons
to close. Both are gone now. And yet, we have memories of
the Hat Men. Like so many things in life, everything seems
to have its place and time. And there were some good years
and some not so good. But I cannot think of Uncle John or
our Dad not wearing a hat. Thats how I shall always picture
them...