Imagine owning your own custom hat business (Hat Doctor) as a Master Hatter. Step into a world where creativity meets craftsmanship, tradition & personal expression. Each day is an opportunity to bring a vision to life, transforming raw materials into a wearable work of art.
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Originating in 1902, Hat Doctor has been a part of the Western Heritage providing high quality hats to early pioneers, ranchers and cowboys. What started as a home business quickly grew into a Downtown Calgary storefront on 8th Avenue, and then in 1961 to the newly built Calgary Stockyards.
Hat Doctor’s 100+ year reputation is apparent in the quality of each hat they have created, using the best materials and methods handed down to achieve the best results. A hat is an extension of your personality, and Hat Doctor hats are superior and known for exceptional fit and function.
Custom measuring a new hat and creating unique style is one facet of the business. There are also ongoing orders for cleaning, re-sizing and repairs and renovations. Hat Doctor takes great pride in restyling and resizing a “memorial” hat that belonged to a loved one.
Currently the Hat Doctor is set up in a 400 sq. ft. shop and is very portable and easy to move and set-up in a new location. There is huge opportunity and adventure to create a mobile shop out of a horse or cargo trailer, and to attend tradeshows and rodeos across the country. The business is relatively easy to run by an owner-operator who is or wishes to become a master hatter. Training can be achieved in 1-2 months.
Master Hatter, Carole Leroux, has created a niche for a high-quality product using only the best hat bodies manufactured by the oldest and most respected hat body makers in the USA. Beaver felt is a choice material that is durable, water repellent, breathable and will hold its shape in all weather.
There is opportunity to expand the business to include a less expensive product that would cater to a broader market of those who attend rodeos and fairs, as well as retail addons like hat boxes, hat bands and other point of sale items.
This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to become the entrepreneur you have always wanted to be. Hat Doctor ownership benefits:
Picture yourself as a Master Hatter, and the moment you open the door to your hat shop, the rich scent of felt, leather, and waxed threads fills the air, setting the tone for a day of meticulous work. Your shop is a blend of old-world charm and modern efficiency—walls lined with shelves brimming with fabric swatches, rolls of velvet, ribbon, and feathers. Antique hat blocks, each unique in shape, sit alongside tools designed to make your craft more precise. The counter is a mosaic of different hat styles, from cowboy hats, classic top hats to contemporary fedoras, as well as prototypes that are still in development.
If you have been looking for a career in the western lifestyle with an opportunity to work for yourself to grow your own business and set your own schedule—this is it.
All financials and assets are up to date and are available upon request from the listing agent.
*** This is an asset sale only, there is no land associated with this listing. GST is applicable on the price. ***