Founded in 1909 as The Hat and Shining Parlor, Greeley Hat Works began with a vision rooted in Old World craftsmanship. While the script in early records is difficult to decipher, we know the shop was started by two Greek brothers who brought traditional European-style service and craftsmanship to the growing American West.
Over more than a century, the shop has survived cultural shifts, changing fashion trends, economic uncertainty, and the rise of mass production. Through it all, one thing has remained unchanged: a dedication to building hats by hand, with integrity.
From The Hat and Shining Parlor to Greeley Hat Works
The second owner and hatmaker, Ben Martinez, took over the shop in the mid-1920s after working there as an employee. During a period when hat-wearing was rapidly declining, Ben fought to preserve both the business and the craft itself. Due to societal pressures at the time, he later changed his name to Ben Martin in an effort to protect the shop and continue its legacy.
The third owner, Susie Orr, eventually moved the hat shop into the barn on her ranch, where a young Trent Johnson would first discover the craft while studying business at the University of Northern Colorado and working on the family ranch.
Trent became Susie’s apprentice in 1993 and purchased the shop in 1996. In 2026, he proudly celebrates 30 years of ownership.
At the time Trent apprenticed under Susie, the shop built around 60 hats a year. Today, with a team of more than 20 people, Greeley Hat Works produces thousands annually while maintaining the same commitment to handcrafting every hat.
Custom Hats Built by Hand, Not by Trend
As much of the world has shifted toward fast fashion and synthetic materials, Greeley Hat Works has intentionally moved in the opposite direction.
The shop continues to use premium European hare and beaver felts, refusing to compromise quality for convenience or mass production. Steam, time, and skilled hands still shape every hat.
Many of the tools used today would be recognized by the original Greek founders from 1909.
Inside the shop, antique Parisienne hat-making tools built between 1843 and 1940 remain part of the process, including the famed Conformateur and Formillion. Clients still settle into a black leather-backed barber chair while their heads are carefully mapped using the French conformateur, ensuring every hat is custom-built to the individual.
Over the decades, Greeley Hat Works has quietly built what the team calls a “library of identities,” maintaining files and head patterns dating back to the 1940s.
Tradition Meets Modern Western Culture
While the tools and techniques remain rooted in tradition, the designs continue to evolve alongside modern Western culture.
Greeley Hat Works has become known for blending heritage craftsmanship with contemporary style, creating hats for working ranchers, entertainers, artists, and everyday customers alike.
The shop gained national attention in 1998 when the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association commissioned 100 pure beaver hats for its 100th anniversary celebration.
Since 2002, Trent Johnson has crafted hats for President George W. Bush, beginning with a custom hat made for the presidential inauguration.
GHW has also worked extensively in film and television, building hats for productions including Wind River and Yellowstone. The global popularity of Yellowstone helped introduce Greeley Hat Works to audiences across the United States and around the world.
Yet despite the recognition, the philosophy inside the shop has remained unchanged.
More Than a Hat Shop
At Greeley Hat Works, the focus has never simply been selling hats.
The team often says they are “setting the hat industry back 100 years,” and they mean it as a point of pride. In an industry increasingly driven by trends and shortcuts, GHW continues to prioritize craftsmanship, fit, storytelling, and authenticity.
They do not build costumes. They build hats for life.
Whether the customer is a feedlot cowboy, a TV actor, a hand surgeon, or a secretary, every person receives the same level of care, craftsmanship, and experience.
The team calls it the “Greeley Experience,” an approach centered on the fit, design, and personal story behind every hat rather than simply completing a transaction.
Every hat has a story. At Greeley Hat Works, helping tell that story is part of the craft itself.
Honoring the Past While Shaping the Future
At its core, Greeley Hat Works is built on hard work, grit, authenticity, and integrity.
As Western lifestyle and fashion continue to grow in popularity, the shop remains deeply committed to preserving the history and craftsmanship that built the industry while continuing to innovate for future generations.
More than 100 years after its founding, Greeley Hat Works continues to prove that heritage, craftsmanship, and authenticity never go out of style.