"true hatters". Michael Santa Lucia came to America in
1908 and went to work in a hat shop and shoe shine
stand. In 1909 he purchased that hat shop and
became "True Hatters" in New York City. In the late
1800's and early 1900's everyone wore hats for
fashion and more importantly to protect their heads
from the elements, in the winter to keep warm, and in
the summer to keep from getting sunburned. Due to
the fact that a part of everyone's every day life
involved wearing a hat, people knew what good
quality in a hat was, and they depended in the skill of
their hat maker to deliver the very best.
TRUE HATTERS' reputation grew due to the attention
given to every hat and the quality customer service. TRUE
HATTERS made dress hats and Western hats for the
every-day man to city officials and entertainers. They once
made a hat for Tom Mix when he was in town doing his
show. Michael Santa Lucia
continued to make hats until
1978.His customers remember him well.
Today his legacy lives on at D Bar J Hat Company in
Las Vegas, Nevada, where quality and style set us apart
from
mass manufactured hats. All of D Bar J hats start from
the finest rabbit, hare and beaver fur. All of D Bar J Hat
Company's machinery dates from the late 1800's to early
1900's. This is a hands-on craft. Every hat is special.
Care
is taken at every step of the way to ensure the owner
is proud to wear the D Bar J brand.
The D Bar J Hat Company is a full line hatter. Although old
Western and Buckaroo hats are our mainstay, we also
make various dress hat styles. We work closely with groups
that need period styles for shows and reenactments, as
well as the every day hat wearer.
The tools that made TRUE HATTERS stand the test of time
are alive and well working today as they did in yesteryear,
with the same spirit that will help the D Bar J Hat Company
stand the test of time.
