In a city where cattle drives, railroads, and rodeos helped define its identity, The Best Hat Store remains a living piece of that history. Its hats—many bearing the family’s understated “+X” (or “positive times”) logo—appear far beyond the Stockyards, from Professional Bull Riders tours to skijoring events across the West.
Most of the hats begin their journey in Bowie, Texas, before arriving in Fort Worth. “Every hat is handmade, touched by up to 24 hands before it leaves the factory,” says Maddox as she walks me through the store. “The one on my head is 100% beaver.” Much of what’s made here starts with beaver felt, prized in traditional Western hatmaking for its density, resilience, and ability to hold a shape. Unlike straw or lower-grade wool blends, beaver felt can be reworked without collapsing its structure, which is what allows hats to be reshaped by hand rather than stamped out of a mold.
“People might consider this a dying art,” says Maddox. “Finding folks with the knowledge and patience to master every step of the process isn’t always easy.” Preserving a skill set—especially in an era when so much production happens far from view of the buyer—makes the shop one of the rare places where visitors can watch the craft of cowboy hats unfold in real time, from raw felt to finished crown. “It’s something we’re very proud of. And we love to share it with every single person that walks through these doors.”
It’s experts like Adams, who started shaping hats at 17, who are front of house every day, giving visitors a glimpse of the magic. “Getting to meet everyone is my favorite part,” he says. “You really get to know the person you’re working with by the time they leave.”
