«Previous    Next»
She Makes Custom Cowboy Hats
When people order a custom cowboy hat from Kaycee Orr-Hoffman they get a few bonuses. Great customer service, a purple lining (the color of champions), a $2 bill tucked in the band (to never go broke), and the perfect style for the hat owner are all part of the package from her Bar None Hat Company.
As a Nebraska rancher and the sixth generation of a ranching family, Orr-Hoffman knows what cowboys want. Nevada cowboys typically wear a buckaroo-style hat, while Nebraskans prefer the George Strait-style hat, for example. Her most popular style is a traditional cowboy hat with a cattleman crease.
All start with hat blanks she purchases from a Tennessee company. The felt ranges from rabbit fur in the lowest price range, a blend of rabbit and beaver in the mid-range, and all beaver fur on the high end.
“I block it, and there’s a lot of sanding the hair down, heating, cooling, ironing, and sewing to get a soft felt finish,” Orr-Hoffman says.
Following the tradition of two hat-making aunts, she started her business 20 years ago and named it after her family’s brand dating back to the 1800’s.
The process begins with getting the right size, either in person at her Thedford, Neb., hat shop with a conformateur device or online by following measurement instructions on her business webpage. Orr-Hoffman also molds the hat according to different head shapes.
Customers have color options, and she keeps the most popular ones (black, silver belly, and natural) in stock. Many are repeat customers who have two hats, a dress hat and a work hat. When the work hat gets old, the dress hat becomes the work hat, and the client orders a new dress hat.
“It’s a very traditional trade. But what’s changed a little bit in the last 10 to 15 years is distressing them to make them look ranch-worn. Also, hat bands can make a hat look different,” she says.
Hats range from $400 to $900, and turn-around time is usually 1 1/2 to 2 months.
Orr-Hoffman’s attention to quality and good service has built a great reputation and word-of-mouth advertising. It’s a skill that fits well with ranching with her husband and raising three children.
To order a hat, check out her website or call to set up an appointment in her shop.
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Bar None Hat Company, P.O. Box 287, 39313 Hwy. 2, Thedford, Neb. 69166 (ph 970-590-5151; info@barnonehats.com; www.barnonehats.com).


  Click here to download page story appeared in.



  Click here to read entire issue




To read the rest of this story, download this issue below or click here to register with your account number.
Order the Issue Containing This Story
2024 - Volume #48, Issue #2