PAUL'S HAT WORKS CHANGES HANDS

Paul’s Hat Works owners – Kirsten Hove, Wendy Hawkins, Olivia Rose Griffin and Abbie Dwelle

If believe things always work out for the best, then you’ll be happy learn that Paul’s Hat Works in San Francisco has been sold. The buyers are four industrious women with varied creative backgrounds.

There’s fashion designer Kirsten Hove, founder of Imperfection by Design and the Hat Factory, Wendy Hawkins, a Cooperative Environmentalist and co-owner of Other Avenues (a worker-owned food cooperative), costumer designer Olivia Rose Griffin (well known for her work on the feature length film Adventures with Seth) and Abbie Dwelle, an artist who creates furniture, costumes, clothing and art using found materials from the streets of San Francisco.

“The previous owner, Michael Harris, is very much involved in training us and showing us how he ran his business and how he makes his hats. We hope to maintain the quality and customer base that he has had for years,” said Rose Griffin.

The Grand Opening of the store is this Saturday (August 29) and it should be a grand affair. Each of these women has a work history worthy of a film itself and each is solidly grounded in the arts and business. This collaboration sounds like one that will bring about great inspiration and creativity in the headwear business.

Paul’s Hat Works is located at: 6128 Geary Blvd, San Francisco, California - and the phone number is (415) 221.5332. The Website is www.hatworksbypaul.com and their blog is at www.hatworksbypaul.wordpress.com.

When we asked about the new owners of Paul’s Hat Shop, this is what we were told: “These four women share a collective house that has been converted into a local community space, boasting a craft and sewing workshop, a costume shop with a gallery in front for local artists and instructors to use as open spaces for free classes, events, and showings.

They also started a production company called SuperFragileCatalytic Productions and have put on several shows and events - http://superfragilecatalytic.wordpress.com. SuperFragileCatalytic Productions focuses on performance art and found art, placing a high value on re-using and recycling all materials, and offering free classes to the Richmond district community.

Other links that showcase their collective talent and history are: www.Faithfulfools.org, www.roaddawgz.com, www.nobawc.org, and www.adventureswithseth.com.

If you are interested in reading their bio’s, let me know and I will print them or send them to you. This is one spot to watch. There’s a lot of talent and evolution here.