Stock Show Insider: You can leave your hat on

Preston Schwartz, who is 1 1/2, was fitted in a hand made Peters Bros. hat on Wednesday at the Fort Worth Stock Show. His uncle, Brad Peters (in the blue shirt and directly behind Preston) who manages the family business, helped his nephew, Preston, try on the hat. The Fort Worth-based Peters Bros. Hats has been in business for more than a century.

For the past 106 years, Peter’s Bros. Hats has been turning out quality headwear.

“We have a good customer base and we get a lot of repeat customers–that’s pretty much what drives us,” said Brad Peters, the Fort Worth-based company’s manager who is operating a booth for at the Fort Worth Stock Show Rodeo.

Peters Bros. has had a booth at the Stock Show since 1933, making it the oldest continuous commercial business exhibitor. WBAP (radio), which began working the Stock Show in 1923, is the oldest media exhibitor, said Ashley Davis, the Stock Show’s exhibit manager.

Peters Bros. Hats are custom made. The prices range from $350 to $1,100 and they are built to fit and last.

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“You can definitely tell the difference between a handmade hat and a machine made hat,” Peters said. “We hand make everything.”

Peters said he takes running the business very seriously. He said the company averages producing about two hats a day.

“It’s a lot of work and a lot to live up to,” he said.