America's Oldest Hat Shop, Henry The Hatter, Loses Its Space In A Growing Downtown Detroit

The oldest haberdashery in the United States is losing its storefront on Broadway Street in downtown Detroit, but it may not be the end of Henry the Hatter’s run in the city.

When the shop approached its landlord Sterling Group earlier this year to negotiate a new lease, the company exercised an escape clause and terminated the agreement, general manager Joe Renkiewicz told Benzinga. Sterling Group didn’t respond to a request for comment on this story.

The store first opened in Detroit in 1893 and has been at its present address since 1952.

A display at Henry the Hatter. Photo by Dustin Blitchok.

Boom, Bust, Boom

In the time Henry the Hatter has been on Broadway, the role of hats in men’s fashion has shifted, from a ubiquitous protection from weather to style accessory. And in those decades, downtown Detroit real estate has gone from boom to bust to boom again.

“It was quite unexpected [after] being here for so long when business wasn’t quite as good,” Renkiewicz said, who’s worked at Henry the Hatter for 32 years.

Foot traffic increased after the Detroit Tigers’ home field Comerica Park opened in 2000, he said.

The last day of business for Henry the Hatter’s downtown store is Aug. 5, the manager said. The store has a location in suburban Southfield that remains in operation.

The hat shop’s goal is to find a new space, Renkiewicz said: “We need to be in Detroit proper. That’s our goal.”

Downtown landlords are noticing the increased price-per-square-foot commanded by rehabbed buildings — and “this building does need a total remodel,” he said.

The Detroit Economic Growth Corporation has reached out to Henry the Hatter to assist in finding spaces for a possible relocation.

“We have been in contact with [owner Paul Wasserman] and expect to continue to talking to him about options that would keep Henry the Hatter open in Detroit,” Amanda C. Hanlin, the organization’s chief of staff, said in a statement.

Henry the Hatter general manager Joe Renkiewicz has worked at the Detroit haberdashery for 32 years. Photo by Dustin Blitchok.

A Changing Industry

While hats were once needed for protection from heat and cold while waiting for public transit and walking to work, the advent of the automobile, air conditioning and less formal dress changed that, Renkiewicz told Benzinga.

Now, hat-wearing celebrities like Pharrell, Future and Bruno Mars often drive buying decisions.

“If there’s any type of awards program, one of us has to watch it on TV,” Renkiewicz said. “Pop music is very good for the hat business right now.”

On a recent weekday morning, 93-year-old Charles Abud, a resident of suburban St. Clair Shores, stood outside the shop after purchasing a grey hat. Abud said he’s been coming to Henry the Hatter for 20 years.

“For people who like hats, it’s great,” a smiling Abud said.

Renkiewicz said the customers make Henry the Hatter a destination business.

“I do believe that wherever we move, we’ll have people follow us.”

Spencer White contributed to this report.

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Main image: "For people who like hats, it's great," says longtime Henry the Hatter customer Charles Abud, 93. Photo by Dustin Blitchok.