Henry the Hatter stands on Broadway in Detroit, currently tucked behind some sidewalk construction. The storefront is small, but features an array of hats made of many different materials. Felt, straw, fur, leather, tweed, cashmere, and cotton toppers sit on hat stands inside these showcases, welcoming the public and illustrating the store's specialty without an overdose of neon or text-filled posters. Inside, the store is deep but narrow. Behind glass are hundreds and hundreds of hats. Top hats, fedoras, paperboys, panamas, porkpies, cowboys, straw boaters, and more are stacked on top of each other. Plastic caps wait to measure hat-needing heads. On the counter sits a box of bright feathers, any of which can be tucked into a hat ribbon, adding a dashing and colorful effect. While the store carries only men's hats, many can be considered unisex (we had our eye on a top hat that would make Stevie Nicks salivate).
The store has been open for 121 years. Celebrities stop by regularly, evidenced by the newspaper clippings that are taped up around the store. Hats can be as cheap as $25 or cost hundreds, yet all are made of quality materials, sturdy construction, and in fabulous fashion. An institution in Detroit, Henry's is the go-to for both trendsetting and timeless toppers.
