Elite Event: Goorin Bros

Bjorn is late on this one.
Sorry.
I felt this event was held just for me because well I do don a fedora 95% of the time. Okay, 90% of the time only because I don’t wear a fedora in the shower.
These fedoras are CLASS-​E. High-​end and high quality. Even their straw hats that are hand stitched, woven only at night to prevent sun/​moisture damage is something that I would see myself coming back to purchase.
The service was great. I did think that they will overselling just a tad even for an Elite event.
Libations were the rum punch that looks like a mimosa to me. Food was Café Habana sandwiches which I didn’t get to try but haven’t dined at Café Habana before, I know they are quality.
Now, one would think someone like me coming into a fedora shop I naturally would be inclined to purchase a fedora.
I bought a trucker cap instead. LOL.
I will be back here for that straw hat.
FAN.

An elite event at a hat store definitely was a bit different from the normal Manhattan bar and restaurant scene but it fit in perfect on a Wednesday night. Ruggy did a good thing making this event. Goorin Bros. I knew had other locations but this was the new store the Unilocalers did get to see. Staff was very friendly and answered all questions you had about the hat game. I liked some of the trucker hats that I saw. The workers looked pretty excited to be there and talk about the last month or two at the location on Prince Street. I would have missed seeing it usually Prince for me I am always closer to Apple Store or just going that direction. Hat were in all types of variety and there was also chance to re-​connect or meet new members since there was only about 17 or 18 people during the 9pm time slot. Café Habana sandwiches were present to sample and the rum punch just hit the spot, not too strong and not too weak. Have to check out this location again in the future move myself in the direction of Prince Street that I normally do not come from. Happy Unilocaling.

Environment: ⁵⁄₅
Employees: ⁵⁄₅
Food: ⁵⁄₅
Drinks: ⁵⁄₅
Cost: ³⁄₅
Accessibility: ⁵⁄₅
Total: ²²⁄₂₅
Story time: It has been a long time since I have been to a Manhattan event. When I found out the Fab 4 got in, minus Melanie (cause she didn’t sign up for it… girl), I was elated. :D I would be spending the entire evening with them.
Synopsis: You would NEVER think a hat shop would exist here! At least I didn’t. Evidently, the shop used to be a dry-​cleaners, but it was then modified to suit the needs of the shop. And in fact, it was amazing! There was enough walking space, and although it was small, it was set up in a way that made it seem bigger than it really was. That is what you call maximizing your space. To top it off, the punch and the ham sandwiches were the cherries on top. Absolutely amazing. In the end, Joelle ending up getting a beach hat. :D
Environment: As mentioned previously, the place is immaculate, clean and spacious. The aura exuded freshness, which it was because the store just opened.
Employees: Everyone was dressed so fancy as if they were going to a cocktail party after the depression. Is that the right era? Anyway, very fancy.
Food: Joelle and me couldn’t get enough of it. While consuming he sandwiches the thought, ‘I’m glad I’m not vegetarian/​vegan’ dawned upon me. :D It was that delicious. Yum! Perhaps even more so because I was riding a buzz.
Drinks: The punch was refreshing especially because it was so hot outside. It had orange juice, rum and some other things I couldn’t identify.
Cost: The hats were definitely on the pricier side, but for the quality it was amazing. Just wish I was able to find something for myself that fit jjuuusstt right!
Accessibility: Definitely easy to get to with the 6 train, just by walking a few blocks. Even close to the N/​Q/​R train.

Cozy atmosphere. I felt like I travel backed in time at this shop. Goorin started by Cassel Goorin back in the 1890s selling his handmade hats from his horse carriage and now their great grandson has expanded over 30 retail stores.
What a great Unilocal idea — loved trying on all the hats while chit chatting. Shout out to Justin, Vivian, Leanne and Ruggy.
My two favorite were the goodboy and april rose. :)

Had a blast here last night! Cinnected eith new people and enjoyed some cocktail drinks which were delicious and sampled thier to die for mini bites. The employees were oh so friendly and everyone was feeling the vibe. I didnt buy a hat :(there were so many to choose from

I like big hats and I can not lie…
So when Unilocal had an event at a hat store, it was a must attend.
This recent addition to the area is full of hat choices. The prices range, as does the quality of the hats. The staff is very helpful and positive. No one was pushy.
To find the right hat, you have to really try a hat on and play with it. They had great hats that did not look good on me. Thy also had hats that I had high hopes for, but that could not do what I would have liked. Eventually, I found the hat that worked for me, a gray fedora. Then I spent some time with the staff picking a feather. They sell really nice feathers that you can use to make your hat awesome. After all, who doesn’t want a feather in their cap?
I loved this event. Even more, I loved the 15% discount I got on my purchases.

It’s been awhile! Came here as part of the 9pm crew. Had a great time trying on hats, getting advice from fellow Elite-​rs and the staff. All the employees were so helpful and fun.
And now I am officially a hat person!
Loved the little cuban sandwiches and summer drinks (orange juice and rum).

don’t be hatin’! just start hattin’! err buying hats!
Goorin Bros. is a newly opened hat shop in the ever-​trendy area of Nolita. a charming cozy retail space packed with tons of class and vintage flavor.
this habadashery – err HAT-​adashery – sells a curated variety of chapeaux (french for hats duh!) for men and women. though Goorin Bros is a store – it has over 120 years in the art of hat-​making (a tradition and craft that continues to today!) and the finesse of selling bold and classic looks to hatwearers of all walks of life.
the store itself occupies the remains of a former laundromat, so the space is sorta narrowish and goes back deep into the ground floor of the building. however the the trapping of the former space have been updated with a cool sophisticated classic look, feel, and décor. the large window display of all things hats and vintage effects from different eras is eye-​catching. through the door, you step into a chic cool space with hats neatly arranged from floor to ceiling on old-​school hat displays. the lighting is perfect: strong but not overpowering. you get a true sense of the color palette and visual textures of the hat’s without a worry of murky lighting. photosnappers – this is a great shop to snap pics, so much cool headwear and antique-​y items. pushing past the main hat area… there’s a wall of the Goorin Bros history and founder Cassel Goorin via pictures on the exposed brick walls. finally the back of the store is where the register, cool unique baseball caps, and lux hatboxes can be had as well. through out the store there are petitie glassware filled with colorful feathers for purchase, so you can add these bird’s fancy colors as visual flair to your hats (think of it as cool classy – NOT tacky – Bedazzling for your hat!). this store is well-​merchandised – not easy to do in a small space.
food? there was a table set up with Unilocal schwag and sandwiches from CAFE HABANA. A yummy Cubano sandwich with the perfect amount of toasted crusty bread, savory meats and cheeses. i will admit i had a few. mmmm!
the drink of the night: a rum punch drink. cool refreshing. not too strong or sweet. perfect for SHOPPING responsibly. HA!
the goods err hats? awesome selection. you can’t beat the variety and quality of all the hats made by Goorin Bros: bowlers (for your james bond villains), cool-​looking top hats (for you non Abe Lincoln types), flatcaps (you british cabby, Downton Abby, Peaky Blinders types), fedoras (for you modern day hipsters), and Panama hats (for those of you trying to style in that South America steez), and a host of other varieties for men and women! they had a small but cool-​looking amount of vintage-​y and stitched emblem baseball & trucker hats caps.
me? i bought a ROO-​STER hat #seewhatididthere. i bought this hat mainly because it looks awesome, i’m bringing back that Von Dutch hat steez, and i can wear it to a bar and say «rock out with your cock out» this Rooster (eer cock) hat serves many purposes. lol
the staff? baller! friendly. stylish. knowledgeable. they know hats! they ask questions about your style. make good suggestions. they don’t hard sell as they want you to really love the hat choice you make. they can answer the endless questions you can have about the hat: its history, the materials used, adding flair via feather and such, etc. the staffer here from the buyers to the style consultants on the floor know how to take your from the crapper to dapper with choice bold headwear. trust in Goorin Bros! and to boot, they genuinely are smiley happy about getting people into the comfort zone with wearing hats and making it part of of one’s personal style and effects.
Ruggy and his Unilocal minions really outdid themselves by taking us out of a strictly food and drinks event and really introduced to us an amazing shopping experience with great goods and equally as great staff. tip o’ da hat to them all!
drops mic, so i can bend this Goorin baseball hat into that worn distressed look.
Mad Hatttah out.
zzzz.

So, this was my first ever NYC Elite Event that I wasn’t someone’s plus bitch (thanks, Ruwan). And, thanks Ruggy for letting me in, even though I forgot my phone at work.
At first, I had no idea who Goorin Bros was, but I’m a hat whore so I signed up quickly for this event. To my amazement, I actually got in. Come to find out, I actually have a hat of theirs, although I have no idea where and when I got it. The quality and style has lasted all these years, kind of like me. No, nothing like me.
The new space is dope. Skinny and long, theres’ a lot to see, touch and slip on. That’s what she said. If you love hats, it’s a playground for sure. I knew exactly what I wanted from their stock on line. But, after trying it on, it was no bueno. The friendly and helpful associate, who’s name I forgot, quickly found another similar and better hat that looked good for my fugly face. This is why I hate shopping online. Bonita Applebum you gotta try it on.
Oh, there was food. The Cubano Sammy’s from Café Habana were delicious. Although that joint is a mad house, I’ve made a mental note to grab one in the future. Dranks were refreshing, like this event.
I was in and out of this thing like a prom dress, but had a great time. I even bumped into Ruwan at the register who was making a trucker hat purchase that will go great with all the Ed Hardy and Von Dutch in his closet. He plans on bringing it back, because that stuff is vintage now; bet you’re wishing you never burned yours, aren’t you!
Thanks again, Ruggy, for my first (Han Solo) Elite Event. Thank you, G Brothers for a great hat! And thank you, my fellow Elite’s who skipped out on this, because without your lack of interest, I probably wouldn’t have «gotten in». I’ll remember you all on this momentous night, the night I popped my cherry, because this hat will be part of the rotation for a very long time; unless, Ruwan gets me so white gurl wasted, I lose it. Which… is very possible.

I agree with Ruggy. I love those events that get Unilocalers out of the «bars and restaurants.» Not that I am complaining at all about the Unilocal love, but I do like «variety» in my entertainment.
This is the newest addition of the Goorin Bros hat store in NYC. There are already three others, one in the West Village, Park Slope and Williamsburg. Wow they are hitting it big here in NYC.
So this hat maker started out in 1895 (whoa way old) and it originated in Pittsburgh, but now they are based in San Francisco.
The store had lovely staff on hand and are very knowledgeable and patient. It was so much fun to play here and I got to try on several wonderful hats. One of the staff even tied a nice bow on one of the floppies and yes it was fabulous. My favorite would have to be the Haila Cruz ($ 250), made of 100% Toquilla Straw. Completely made by hand. Aint no made in China here… Who knew there was so much to learn about hats?
Summery drinks on hand and some light snacks paired along with great staff, and cool Unilocal cats, makes for yet another awesome Unilocal event.
Thanks Ruggy for always keeping it creative! Now off to the Derby we go!