City hatters stand out as chapeau champions

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This article was published 05/02/2024 (956 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

There’s something about a hat that makes us pay attention. In addition to providing protection from the elements, a properly fitted hat can exude personality and make you stand out from the crowd.

Hats can be important in numerous ways, playing roles in professions requiring safety gear, identifying with a team, a religion, or a graduation ceremony and even as status symbols.

Unbeknownst to many Winnipeggers, there’s a company in a Wall Street warehouse that’s been manufacturing and distributing hats for 90 years.

Crown Cap marked that milestone anniversary Jan. 15. A leader in the industry and a pioneering force in headwear, the company has proudly maintained its commitment to excellence, innovation, and customer satisfaction since 1934.

“So many Winnipeggers don’t know us,” said sales manager Cole Leinburd. “They say things like, ‘We never knew you existed, where are you from?’

“We are in Winnipeg; funny how many in Winnipeg don’t know about us. A lot of people know us outside the city,” he said, adding the plan is to correct that imbalance.

Crown Cap has been doing a thriving business for close to a century across Canada, the U.S., Japan, the UK, and other parts of Europe. Included on the long list of customers are Banana Republic, Hudson’s Bay and Mark’s Work Wearhouse, as well as the Canadian military, Canada Post, police services, RCMP and a host of others.

Local Winnipeg businesses carrying Crown Cap products include CAA Manitoba, Princess Auto, Urban Tactical and the Haberdashery.

“We are so happy and thankful that we are still around and relevant and still manufacturing,” said Leinburd, who has been with Crown Cap for 12 years. His father, Paul Leinburd, acquired the company in 1987 and it’s been a family business ever since.

The Winnipeg-owned and operated company is proud to be 100 per cent local and still outfitting customers with quality hats made in this city.

What started as a business ensuring farmers in the Western Canadian Prairies had good headwear has transformed into a dynamic and influential presence in the hat-manufacturing landscape. Crown Cap’s diverse line includes a wide range of styles and accessories, from luxury fur to beanies, baseball caps, aviator hats, bucket hats and fedoras.

Crown Cap employs a range of materials, including cotton, nylon, leather, faux fur, real fur and wool, including a form called shearling.

Two of the most popular Crown Cap hats have been around since its inception, and continue to be manufactured due to high demand today.

“The railroad hat was manufactured for the farm trade,” Leinburd explained.

“This is one of the hats that the company started with. We sell it across North America and we change or update colour and material. We can’t keep it in stock. And the stockman cap — we started with that pom-pom hat — which farmers and ranchers wear.

“We have thousands of different hat styles we have run over the years (same style, but with different fabrics, etc.),” Leinburd added. “We normally have a thousand styles we run per year. Each style has multiple colours and sizes.”

If there’s been one thing that’s central to the longevity and success of the business, Leinburd wasn’t hesitant about citing it.

“We are still here because of our staff. I can’t speak enough about how wonderful our staff is: people here close to 30 years; a lot of long-term staff, some 15, 20-plus years. It’s a small family. Our staff is so dedicated, loyal and long-term. This place is running solely because of them. It’s a smooth operation. It runs smoothly only because of the people we have. It sounds cliché and cheesy but it’s one of the best things about this place.”

There are a few other reasons that make Leinburd appreciate going to work every day.

“Interacting with our customers, long-term customers, working with them; every day is different. It keeps me on my feet, it’s always fun. It’s a positive workplace. People need hats, we have trendy popular hats or functional hats. We have thousands of different styles, a hat for everyone.”

With its impressive history, the business has become an important part of the community, taking pride in active involvement in community initiatives, and engaging with a multitude of charitable organizations over the years.

“We love to give back to our community,” Leinburd said.

“We are very thankful for it. It’s part of our mission — even though nobody knows about us,” he laughed. “We love giving back. We want to help support, we will absolutely do that,” he stated, adding Crown Cap has been able to help keep people warm during the cold Prairie winters through their donations.

While celebrating nine decades in business, Crown Cap looks forward to its next chapter.

“Our plan is to continue manufacturing hats in Canada— Winnipeg specifically. Our primary goal is still to offer made-in-Canada hats, adding different trends, items, colours, up-to-date styles.

“Our customers are at the heart of everything we do. We are grateful for the trust and loyalty they have shown us over the years and we remain dedicated to exceeding their expectations. We are filled with gratitude for the support of our loyal customers, dedicated employees, and valued partners who have contributed to our success,” Leinburd added, noting there are now 70 staff, with additional salespeople across North America.

Customers can get the right fit by using the online measuring chart and buying direct online or through a number of local retailers.