Club Obi Wan

I will be in London for 2 weeks in June and since my Wested jacket is due to arrive this week I'm thinking I'll pop into th HJ shop and take a look around.

I'm really hoping I can get my fedora there.

Regards,
Hunter

This is sadly how they stacked them in 2004, with more or less taper as a result on many of them;



Still, they might have better ones in the back or good ones among the ones on display. Good luck, and let us know when you have visited.

Regards,
Swindiana

Didn't someone post that the London store is closed for refurbishing?

Michaelson did.

viewtopic.php?t=16509


....

Hey, VP isn't a machine, you know.

He isn't? He's awfully efficient NOT to be one....

High regards! Michaelson

I.... AM A MACHINE!!!

Ah HA!!!

Regards! Michaelson

If the shop is open when you visit, please be aware that they are not very friendly (at least not to people in Indiana Jones gear). Plus the hats were tapered, badly stored and overpriced.

That was the case when we visited the shop in 2004.

Sorry to hear that some of the people here had less than a good experience with HJ.

ob1al wrote:If the shop is open when you visit, please be aware that they are not very friendly (at least not to people in Indiana Jones gear). Plus the hats were tapered, badly stored and overpriced.

That was the case when we visited the shop in 2004.

Is it just the nature of the owners or have they been so hounded over the years with "Indy Fans" that their just sick of dealing with us?

I think that's it, yeah. Herbert Johnson is not really a hattery, per se. It's a gentleman's store, with all sorts of things for the "upscale gentleman on the go". They just so happened to be picked by someone to supply the Indiana Jones hats. Over the years, I'm sure more than their fair share of rabid fans have descended on the shop in Indy gear, or a tshirt and jeans, looking for an Indy hat. 25 years later, they're probably sick of it.

At the time of Raiders, they were a hatters

Well, in past dealings with them (and I'm talking back in the 80's now), the attitude was one of a snobbish nature, as they were (and I guess still ARE) suppliers by appointment of the Crown, and therefore really didn't REQUIRE our business, or any business outside the normal confines of the gentry. We were pretty much told so to our faces....both by phone and in person.
It all depended on who was at the counter, and who answered the phone too! One minute they were absolutely tickled to death to talk about the hat, and of COURSE they'd be pleased to duplicate one for you....and the next 'please remove your common carcass from the property before we call the Law!!"

Regards! Michaelson

And just think Fedora makes a better hat and we get good customer service from him.

I guess if you were a purist and wanted to own a hat made by the same company that made the movie hat then you would have to buy a HJ. I personally don't care if I ever own one. I think that company should be thankful that HF and SS walked in and bought one from them.

Hmmm. There have been some very informative comments here and in the thread provided by Strider (thanks).

I had been intending to purchase the AB fedora, but then this trip to London came up. It will be my first time in London so I thought I would check out HJ.

From the sound of it, it might be a waste of time, although the James Lock shop mentioned in the other thread might be interesting.

All in all it sound as if AB it the way to go.

Regards,
Hunter

Lock's customer service seems exactly 180 degrees opposite of HJ's practices, and they're supposedly 'Makers to the Crown' as well. Rumor has it that Ford purchased a hat from them when in town for the Raiders fitting/costume search, and it was used somewhere in the film.

So, THAT might be a stop well worth making.

Regards! Michaelson

Hunter Jones wrote:Hmmm. There have been some very informative comments here and in the thread provided by Strider (thanks).

I had been intending to purchase the AB fedora, but then this trip to London came up. It will be my first time in London so I thought I would check out HJ.

From the sound of it, it might be a waste of time, although the James Lock shop mentioned in the other thread might be interesting.

All in all it sound as if AB it the way to go.

Regards,
Hunter

If you have the cash then the AB IS the way to go. As far as most of us are concerned that is the "Real Life" version of what Indy would wear.

If you don't have the cash then I would either suggest saving up until you do OR the next best thing would be the Akubra Fed or Fed. Deluxe. I couldn't wait so I purchased the Fed. Deluxe....also a very nice hat. You can check out my hat thread to see a picture of it.

Well, the man that works in Swaine Adeney Brigg remembered me from the last time I'd visited. I seem to have made a good impression, but this may just be due to the fact that I always bring him a customer that buys a hat (my principal bought a fedora and my theatre teacher bought a panama). The first time I went, they didn't have a Poet small enough, and the last time I went, they weren't officially open so they didn't have my size Poet in stock.
I found the gentleman that worked there nice, so long as you don't go in requesting the Indiana Jones hat. I was already into the Fedora Lounge stuff, so I was interested in their other stuff, too, so I was able to ask about other things...and then casually go "Oh....is that THE Indiana Jones hat? Would you mind if I tried one on?" I was chatting with the guy who works there, and he says that their hats are mostly imported now, but their leathers and umbrellas are still English made.
The flagship St. James's St. store is re-opened again. They re-opened the day that I left England, sadly. The new interior is beautiful dark wood.

Lock & Co. down the hill is a great store, too. They don't make their hats in store anymore, but they a few great feeling hats and I got my head measured on that weird contraption...apparently I'm a long oval.

Michaelson wrote:Lock's customer service seems exactly 180 degrees opposite of HJ's practices, and they're supposedly 'Makers to the Crown' as well. Rumor has it that Ford purchased a hat from them when in town for the Raiders fitting/costume search, and it was used somewhere in the film.

So, THAT might be a stop well worth making.

Regards! Michaelson

I agree 100% - the staff at Lock's were fantastic - very friendly and helpful with lots of time for us. They told us the same story about Ford purchasing a hat from them whilst filming Raiders - I remember discussing the possibility that it was a hat for his personal use (rather then film costume use) - an interesting thought!

Alan

Here's an account of my wonderful exprience

viewtopic.php?t=13406

IMHO, take your business elsewhere..... like Wested, (not for a hat though)

Indiana Jimbo wrote:Here's an account of my wonderful exprience

viewtopic.php?t=13406

IMHO, take your business elsewhere..... like Wested, (not for a hat though)

That is a very sad thread, but it only confirms my decision to order the AB, so thank you.

Regards,
Hunter

You should read what I said on that thread about hats.

Strider, I completely agree with what you say about it not being the employee's fault, but what I expirenced was just rude, and I was posting more about the way I was treated more than anything else, although the one hat I tried on, in my opinion was a piece of...hehe... ya know. But, as you said, it may not have been their fault, but infact other people disorganizing HJ's... how shall we say... less-than-Indygear standard of a hat PILE. But hey, this is just me, James, and I'm no hat expert, by any stretch of imagination. I just decided to start ranting about my expirence because I was looking foward to that trip for a very long time, and it turned out to be a "disappointing HJ visit"
James

I agree the customer treatment is horrible if that's the way it is. I just know how it feels to work in a hat shop, and see careless people shuffling hats around without regard to their care.

Tone;
Not odd at all. Everyone wanna do what Ken does when we grow up.

Nitpicker...

Regards,
Swindiana

Strider wrote:I think that's it, yeah. Herbert Johnson is not really a hattery, per se. It's a gentleman's store, with all sorts of things for the "upscale gentleman on the go".

Actually, Herbert Johnson is a hattery... The place on St. James Street is called Swaine Adeney Brigg, and it does indeed match your description perfectly.

Swindy - that pic of Ken brings back memories from that rainy (what else) day in London. I could swear the guy behind the desk reached for the telephone to call the police when around ten damp gearheads w/ whips entered the Swaine Adeney store...

I believe Al tried the "Swaine stacking" in the hotel pub earlier, btw.

-Yeasch... I've tried the Schwaine Schmart Schtacking Schyschtem™ scheveral timesch myschelf... It'sch the bescht!

Good times.

Regards,
Swindiana

Indeed it isch, Schwindiana.

Tea with two lumpsch, pleasche, Misch Moneypenneah...

For sure!

Swindy - I just "discoverd" your signature (the otter-part) and only wanted to tell you, it's your fault, that I spilled my newly opened beer about my keyboard. So, my insurance might contact you ...

Funny guy.

Oh - and I know, that this is "off topic". But hey - I'm a moderator, I can do this. Well, 'till Michaelsom discovers this. Or Mike, or Dalexs ... 8-[

IndyJens wrote:Oh - and I know, that this is "off topic". But hey - I'm a moderator, I can do this. Well, 'till Michaelsom discovers this. Or Mike, or Dalexs ... 8-[

Don't worry, Michaelson does it all the time.