(MUSIC) WELCOME BACK TO RIVER
CITY LIVE. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT
HATS. IT'S HATS DAY. THE
PANAMA HAT COMPANY STARTED IN
1985 BY A WOMAN FROM ECUADOR.
ELIZABETH CAMPBELL MET WITH HER.
REPORTER: AN ADORABLE
HISTORIC BUILDING WHERE A FAM
ALALLY HAS BEEN MAKE -- FAMILY
HAS BEEN MAKING AND SELLING HATS
FOR DECADES. THIS IS A HAT
MAKER WHO HELPED THE FAMILY
BUSINESS STAY SUCCESSFUL.
THE GUY WHO SHOWED ME HOW TO
BLOCK HATS, HE IS IN HIS 80S
NOW. HE HAS BEEN BLOCKING HATS
HIS WHOLE LIFE. JUST WORKING ON
HATS HIS WHOLE LIFE.
REPORTER: HE IS PROUD OF THE
HISTORY BEHIND THIS BUILDING.
THIS BUSINESS. AND MOST
IMPORTANTLY HIS FAMILY.
MY MOM STARTED THE BUSINESS
IN 1985. SHE IS FROM ECUADOR
AND MY DAD IS FROM THE STATES.
HE WANTED TO SUPPORT THE ARTISTS
DOWN THERE.
REPORTER: THEIR BEST SELLER
IS OF COURSE THE PANAMA HAT.
MANY PEOPLE INCORRECTLY GUESS
WHERE THE PANAMA HAT IS FROM.
WE STUCK WITH THE HAT THEME.
THAT REALLY TOOK OFF FOR US.
THAT'S WHAT WE SPECIALIZE IN.
THE HANDLING OF HATS. FROM
ECUADOR. NOT PANAMA. PANAMA IS
WHAT MADE THEM FAMOUS.
REPORTER: THE HATS VARY IN
SIDES.
IT'S LIKE SHEETS YOU BUY FOR
YOUR BED. THE FINER THE THREAD
COUNT, THE HIGHER THE PRICE.
THE $85 QUALITY TAKES ABOUT A
DAY. MAYBE TWO DAYS TO WEAVE BY
HAND. AND IT JUST GOES UP THE
LINE. ABOUT 300, 400. THEY TOP
OUT AT THE $2,000 ONE THAT CAN
TAKE MONTHS. FOUR MONTH TUESDAY
WEAVE BY HAND.
REPORTER: THE HIGHER END
HATS LIKE ARE BLOCK SIZED BY
TONY AND HIS SHOP. IT DATES
BACK TO THE 1800S. HE KNOWS
JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING THERE IS
TO KNOW ABOUT MAKING HATS. AND
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT MADE HAT
OWNERS WANT ONE OF THEIR OWN.
IF THE CUSTOMER MESSES IT
UP, USE WATER AND LET IT DRY.
TAKE A BABY WIPE. AND IT'S
CLEAR. SMEAR IT ON THERE. IT'S
INVISIBLE. ESPECIALLY AFTER IT
DRIES. THIS ADDS THE BODY BACK
INTO THE BRIM AND THE HAT. AND
YOU JUST RESEEM IT AND LET IT
DRY.
REPORTER: TONY SAYS ABOUT
80% OF CUSTOMERS ARE FROM OUT OF
TOWN. LIKE MICHAEL.
MOST PEOPLE REALLY LOOK GOOD
IN HATS. THIS IS THE BEST PLACE
TO BUY IT IN ST. AUGUSTINE. THE
PRICES ARE GOOD. REALLY STYLISH
AND MADE REALLY WELL.
REPORTER: STARS LIKE NICOLE
RICHIE AND KEVIN SPACY HAVE
STOPPED IN.
LABOMBA IS OUR FAVORITE
PLAYER. THE BRIM -- HE HAD A
GAMBLER'S BRIM TURNED DOWN. I
TO TURN THE BRIM UP IN THE BACK.
TO CALL IT TROMBONE PROOFING.
SO WHEN HE DRAWS BACK ON THE
TROMBONE, IT DOESN'T KNOCK THE
HAT OVER.
REPORTER: THE PANAMA HAT MAY
BE THEIR SPECIALTY BUT THEY HAVE
A LITTLE BIT OF SOMETHING FOR
EVERYONE.
I JUST HAD -- LIKE ONE OF
THE COLORS THAT I WANTED. I
FEEL LIKE A HAT ADDS A POP TO AN
OUTFIT.
REPORTER: SO THOSE HATS ARE
SOLD ALL OVER THE WORLD.
ABSOLUTELY. THEY'RE SO POPULAR.
THE ONE I'M WEARING HAS THE
BLACK BAND BUT THEY HAVE DOZENS
OF DIFFERENT COLORS. MATCH YOUR
PERSONALITY. IF YOU HAVE A HAT
MAYBE THAT NEEDS TO BE REBLOCKED
OR RESHAPED, TONY DOESN'T DO IT
AS MUCH BECAUSE HE IS SO BUSY IN
THE STORE. CUSTOMERS ARE
CONSTANTLY COMING. BUT HE HAS
RECOMMENDATIONS AT HIS WEBSITE.
MYPANAMAHAT.COM. EVERYONE NEEDS