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December 2023 by William F.
O Dec 19 2023 went in to buy a hat, tried several on and was pleased with the results. Asked the lady at the counter when they closed and she stated 6 pm. Left the store to talk to the wife and returned at 5 minutes to five. Was told by the so called Manager downstairs that the section upstairs closed at 5 pm. I looked at my watch and POLITELY stated it was 5 till 5 . She just rolled her eyes and Stated to come back in the morning. Then as I was leaving had the nerve to get snarky and say " have a nice day" After being treated so unprofessionally, there was no way I was going to buy a $ 200.00 hat from that clown. Went elsewhere and purchased a hat. So if you want to be treated unprofessionally by a rude and discourteous manager shop at this store.
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November 2023 by Paul Bradley
What a lovely shop to visit I was there visiting with friends and was very tempted by the range of hats available and bowled over by the staff I met. A must visit.Paul (Stalybridge, England).
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November 2023 by K Oli
Friendly employees. Great selection of quality hats.
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October 2023 by Andrew Jabbour
Friendly staff, bought a cool souvenir magnet.
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July 2023 by Rocky T.
Last year (2022) bought a Stetson based on outstanding customer service and patience with questions about "real" Panama Hats. This year, back for a Borsalino Panama. Tony and his team were on time with service and advice. My compliments to a true professional who knows his craft and appreciates customer service and my thanks for all the information provided.
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July 2023 by Isabelle Louis
If I could leave 0 stars I would. I have personally never been treated this way before truly I am flabbergasted that people iN 2023 are downright in your face Racist. My husband and I stopped in St. Augustine this week to visit one of our beach houses before we head to Nashville for a friends wedding this coming week. My husband needed a few hats so I decided to go to this shop with him. The minute I walked in this woman gave me a very distasteful look with no greeting. I thought nothing of it I was in a really good mood so I just brushed it off. This woman today literally followed me throughout the store just watching me and never asked if I needed help. I remained calm and asked does this store carry a hat I like in a specific color. This lady ignored my question and stated “ you have been walking around for a while and it looks suspicious are you even going to buy anything because I don’t have the time to deal with the type of Drama YOU people like to bring around here”. I was so shocked I was speechless my blood was boiling but I once again remained calm. I replied back “ I hope and pray that your views on MY kind of people will change one day. I left the store called my husband who was a few stores down and told him we need to leave NOW!! He kept asking what’s wrong and I just broke down and explained the situation. My husband was livid and went back to the store but the treatment was completely different to no SUPRISE because my husband is CAUCASIAN. The woman was stuttering and shocked that this man was my husband. My husband expressed his feelings and made it known that this was so wrong. Please do better. I would love to have a conversation with the owner. I would hate for this to happen to anyone else. I will never forget this encounter.
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July 2023 by Eva Louis
Service was absolutely terrible. Literally went in there to get a hat for my godson, the older lady completely followed and harassed my company and I. This is completely ridiculous. She said we couldn’t get the hats because they were for kids. We proceeded to tell her it’s for my godson and she took the hat from my friend’s hand and told us to leave the store. The disrespect was absolutely uncalled for. So sad to see people so unhappy with their lives that they feel the need to harass PAYING CUSTOMERS. I hate to play the race card, but she ONLY went after the only group with a black person with them. So sad. I hope she finds the happiness she so completely lacks. Period. DO NOT GO TO THIS STORE
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July 2023 by Holli Mullen
Awful awful awful experience. i went with 3 other of my friends just to check it out and one women kept on following us and looking at us and we were not being loud or disrespectful at all until she snatched a hat out of one of my friends hand and kicked us out for looking at the kids at . my little cousin’s birthday is coming up and i was going to get something for him until this women decided to do the most . and it’s one thing to not like teenagers but there were other teenagers there but she only was following us and ironically one of the people in our group was black and she just so happens to follow US out of anyone else in that store. Totally unexceptional, and unprofessional. No one like that deserves to have a job probably why she’s working in a hat shop…. I wish i got her name but just look at for yourselves ❤️❤️
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June 2023 by Debra Merrigan
I own several hats as well as clothing from this company and I have never been disappointed by the service, styles and quality. One of The owners, Tony, offered to steam the brim after wearing the hat for a few years which says they back their product and take pride In what they sell. Thank you and I will continue to purchase from them.
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May 2023 by Peter B.
— A Touch of the Master’s Hand —I’ve grown to love a fine Panama hat. I bought my first real Panama over 20 years ago here at the Panama Hat Co. while visiting Old St. Augustine with friends. I still recall how pleasant that shopping experience was, having been assisted by the company’s founding matriarch herself, Ms. Consuelo Lippi.Fast forward about 5 years (to ~2007), my wife and I returned to St. Augustine and of course I stopped into the Panama Hat Co. As it happened, the founding couple Chuck and Consuelo Lippi had recently returned from a trip to Consuelo’s native Ecuador to hand-select Panama hats right at their source.Sitting there under plexiglass in the shop was the finest looking hat I’d ever seen. It’s called a superfino, which refers to the grade of the palm fibers and linen-like weave that make it the best of the best. I’ve since learned that not only did it take a expert hat weaver in Ecuador some four to six months to weave this work of art, but that there are (sadly) a dwindling few such expert weavers still creating these masterpieces.I asked to try on the hat and it fit perfectly. Needless to say, I bought it.I have specifically selected the two photos for this review to illustrate the beauty of the weave that constitutes the superfino. Please note the exquisite diamond pattern in the fabric of the weave. Also note the edge of the brim which is woven as apposed to being stitched.I have been wearing this hat now for fifteen Carolina summers, learning how to better care for it with each passing year. With its 2-inch “stingy” brim, it makes for the ultimate “hats-on” dress hat as well as providing adequate shade on every day spring-summer-fall day trips. I have received multiple spontaneous complements on it from complete strangers (all, as it happens, from women). Like Mark Twain once said, “I can go for two months on a good complement” :-)Lastly, I need to give a shout out to the master hat blocker himself, Mr. Tony Lippi. Little did I know when I purchased my superfino in 2007 that it had been blocked by the son of the founding couple. For those who may not be familiar, when a fine quality Panama hat is exported from Ecuador, it isn’t shipped in a hat box. Once at its destination around the world, the woven hat is unpacked and then needs to be carefully shaped into its final form by expert hands using unique and special forms (blocks) and techniques that have been developed specifically for this craft. The best of these blocks, many of them antique, are rare and hard to come by. Finding a master craftsman in possession of such tools is even more difficult. Welcome to the Panama Hat Company of Saint Augustine. Please note, if you will the narrow hat-band on my superfino. This narrow band was selected by Tony so as to maximize the beauty of the weave. This is an example of the artistic eye that is characteristic of the true master that Tony has become — and that was fifteen years ago!You may be wondering why a customer is leaving this review about a hat he bought fifteen years ago. It’s because my wife and I were back in Old Saint Augustine earlier this month (April 2023) and I stopped into the shop late on a Saturday to poke around in hopes of being able to say hello to some familiar friendly faces. Tony happened to be working and offered to take my superfino to his workshop to give it a sprucer-upper. Heaven forbid I should turn down such a generous offer! Tony insisted that there would be no charge for this service. This is the level of customer service that makes the Panama Hat Company of St. Augustine a world-class hat retailer. The best of the best.As promised, my superfino was waiting for me when the shop opened on Sunday. I was astonished when I saw how nicely Tony had restored the shape of the crush, the crown and the brim. Wow! It’s like having a new hat all over again. This summer I’ll take even better care of it now that it’s had a new lease on life thanks to a touch of the master’s hand.
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May 2023 by Jennifer H.
I will admit fully... I LOVE hats. I was absolutely thrilled to find this shop on a recent trip. They had such an amazing selection. The two older women who were working that day (I wish I'd gotten their names) we're so sweet and helpful. They showed me so many styles and options. I settled on a flat crowned hat with a wide brim and it looked amazing. They also have a small but incredible selection of the most colorful and flowy dresses ever. I, of course, had to grab one and it was so comfortable and perfect. The next time I'm down, I will definitely be back in for more.
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April 2023 by Harry S. Tervalon, Jr.
This is my first time ordering from Panama Hats. My rating is based on the diversity of products offered, quality of the products, price and speed of delivery.And I shall return to this business for anything I need that they offer for sale.
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March 2023 by Sara M
got a really cute mood ring here!! didnt love being accused of stealing for taking the little piece of paper that comes with the ring though lol the woman there wasnt very nice and ran up to me asking if i was gonna pay for my ring (which i of course was) the second i grabbed the mood chart like she had her eyes on me and was waiting for me to steal
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January 2023 by Hank Lambert
This is the only hat shop I use, and it is 100 miles from my home. Three years ago, my wife and I visited St. Augustine from Orlando. I went in and Tony found me the perfect beige Panama hat. I have worn it almost daily ever since. It shows my wear, but it is in as good of shape as it was the day I bought it.Yesterday we went back to St. Augustine for both pleasure and to get a new hat. I wanted a nicer white Panama hat for dress. This time I walked out with a bleached white fino Panama hat with a few hat bands.This store carries just about every style of hat from many manufacturers. And Tony will make sure that your new hat fits and makes any adjustments necessary. For instance, my hat requires 3 foam inserts for me to get the best fit. He does it all.All of the employees are great. My wife got 2 new hats yesterday. One of the ladies worked with her to help her find the exact hats she wanted.I have a few fedoras and now 2 Panama hats. I will be going back again when I want to replace a hat or just want a new one. I love hats, and The Panama Hat Co. of St. Augustine is the only place I go to for them. Their selection is great, the service is top notch, and all of the employees are very friendly.
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November 2022 by today play
Super friendly, had the perfect feather for my wedding hat!
