Over the past decade, Bossier City Hat Company has transformed from a small, passion-driven startup into a beloved staple in the Bossier community. Through dedication to quality, a commitment to customer satisfaction, and a focus on community engagement, Bossier City Hat Company has grown its product line and its presence, becoming a go-to provider for hats, uniforms, and fan apparel!
Marcus and Janae Raymond and their two children moved from Texas to the Bossier area about 15 years ago for new work opportunities. Marcus took a job in the local oil field industry and Janae was working as a Landman in the area. The family quickly integrated into the Bossier community.
At the time, their youngest child entered the Legacy school district and is now a freshman at Benton High School. While Marcus was steadily working in the oilfield industry, he noticed a need for custom-branded hats. Everyone was asking for hats and local/regional suppliers were not readily available. For companies and brands to find hats, they had to outsource nationally. This caused a time constraint for many businesses and due to the demand; this sparked an idea for the Raymonds.
Why not buy a sewing machine and get to work?! Marcus and Janae filled their first order for a regional oilfield company and the company took the hats to a fishing tournament in Houston. Throughout the tournament, everyone went crazy over the hats. Participants were impressed with the design and quality and had to know where to get their own branded hats. Marcus and Janae were about to get a whole lot busier! One of their first orders included seventy-two dozen hats; their garage was full, to say the least.
The hat business, originally called Ace of Threads, started primarily focusing on producing hats for the oil field industry. The couple had one sewing machine that led to two and in the infancy of their business, they eventually got up to six machines. As the word continued to get out about this dynamic duo and their 3D stitching company, the clientele grew into providing baseball hats for baseball teams. Their son was playing competitive ball and this rooted the Raymonds into the world of competitive baseball.
After eight years of growing, they eventually moved from their residential location to an office space in north Bossier off Chinaberry Drive. It was important to the couple for clients and customers to know the location of their business and that it was a small business run by local people. To alleviate any confusion, the business name was updated to Bossier City Hat Company. The Raymonds are proud to be an established local business that provides true 3D stitching. The type of stitching offered is what all the baseball players wear in the baseball industry. It is another form of stitching other than flat stitching. The 3D stitching is what sets Bossier City Hat Company apart from the competition.
One interesting fact about the business is that it did not see a decline in orders during COVID but instead an uptick. People representing the baseball industry usually purchase their hats from bigger players like Richardson and while many national factories slowed down or even shut down during the nationwide pandemic, outdoor ball, including baseball games did not stop. As a locally owned business, Bossier City Hat Company did not shut down during COVID and instead, kept working away. This allowed baseball teams from Louisiana, Arkansas and Mississippi to discover Bossier City Hat Company and utilize their services for hat orders. More specifically, the hat company was able to garner customers in Houston, Arlington, and Little Rock. All of these places were calling Bossier City Hat Company knowing the services included 3D stitching. During COVID and beyond, the production volume doubled. When the dust settled from the pandemic, these new relationships and customers were loyal to Bossier City Hat Company, the business was rocking and rolling and now the Raymonds own and operate a total of nine sewing machines!
Around the same time, uniforms were also gaining momentum and the production of uniforms was an added service the hat company provided to its clients. Customers wanted to purchase hats and uniforms as part of a one-stop-shop. Due to the growing client base, the Raymonds eventually expanded their team and hired a full-time Manager, Morgan Frey, and later a Lead Shop Assistant, Taylor Naron. Acquiring extra help allowed the business to continue growing and they now have a printing machine for t-shirts and fan apparel! In addition to Bossier City Hat Company, they have expanded with the Team Shop, an arm of the hat company that focuses on team gear.
A recent claim to fame for Bossier City Hat Company is that their 3D stitched hats made it to the 2023 Men’s College World Series in Omaha. Prior to LSU making it to the championship, the hat company stitched the infamous Hayden Travinski signature look of sunglasses and facial hair on several hats. The Raymonds sent the hats with Hayden’s dad, Jason, and once word got out who stitched the hats, Marcus and Janae’s phones started blowing up!
So what is next for Bossier City Hat Company? The Raymonds are looking forward to opening a true retail shop by end of year or early 2025. A true storefront location will allow customers and their client base to come into the retail space and not only place large to midsize orders but purchase hat designs as well as fan apparel and team gear. Currently, the hat company’s setup is an office space where customers primarily call over the phone and place orders. Customers can also e-mail or bring in ideas/designs and the team will assist with color options to help make the design pop!
The team stays up-to-date on the latest trends to ensure customers are selecting current styles. There is currently an order minimum of 12 hats although smaller orders are accepted with a small batch order fee attached. Customers can stop by the current office and look at samples and catalogs but a retail space will only enhance the overall customer experience.
Marcus, Janae and their staff are well known for their customer service and it is just one of the many attributes that helps them stand out. If you need high quality, custom hats or uniforms, t-shirts, and fan apparel, then look no further. Give the Bossier City Hat Company a call at 318-716-8377.