“Come down the mountain as soon as possible.”

That’s what Ashlee Crook remembers telling her husband, Stephen, early this year when she stumbled across an open storefront on Breckenridge Main Street. 

Just two months later, on March 8, the couple opened Antler & Crown Provisions, a custom hat shop at 110 S. Main St. that specializes in handcrafted Western-style hats fitted and shaped for individual customers. 

For the Crooks, the opening marked a milestone in a business journey that began with pop-up tents, music festivals and a leap of faith after Ashlee’s corporate career unexpectedly ended. The couple had already opened a successful Antler & Crown storefront in St. Augustine, Florida, but Breckenridge had long felt like a second home. Stephen, a 20-year U.S. Coast Guard veteran, said the family had been vacationing in Summit County for more than two decades. 

Ashlee said she first became convinced Breckenridge could support the concept while strolling downtown during that recent vacation this January. 

“I saw women in fur, I saw designer bags and I saw hats everywhere,” she said. 

However, Ashlee said she didn’t notice any businesses that had custom-fitted hats. Combining their expertise, Ashlee persuaded her husband to commit almost immediately to signing a lease on the store. 

While Stephen said Ashlee is more artistic and works best when styling customers, he said he mainly shapes hats, focusing on “the traditional Western side of things, which is very much about precision.”

The original idea for Antler & Crown came after Ashlee was laid off from a corporate insurance job with Aflac, which she had held for over 18 years. Debating whether to take the severance package or attempt to reenter the corporate world, Ashlee decided to do a 180. 

“I want to start a hat business,” Ashlee recalled telling Stephen shortly after news of the layoffs. 

The decision led to a whirlwind start for what would become Antler & Crown. Without any formal experience shaping, designing or selling custom hats and Western wear, Ashlee said she went “all in.”

“I started spending money in bed in my pajamas,” she said. “And that day we spent like $40,000.”

Stephen later enrolled both of them in a class taught by Parker Thomas of Denver, a member of a three-generation hat-making family who’s gained national attention for designing hats for country music stars including Reba McIntyre and Nick Lachey. 

After that training, the couple largely started their business on the road. During their first year, the Crooks sold hats at 37 music festivals and other events across the country. 

“It was a bit of a grind,” Stephen said. 

Ashlee recalled some moments when the venture felt risky, particularly after leaving behind a reliable salary. 

“We just kept getting kicked in the teeth and kicked in the teeth again, in terms of sales,” Ashlee said. 

By October of their first year, Ashlee said she began worrying the couple could lose their house and the rest of their money. But a loan from her grandmother helped the Crooks open their Florida storefront around two years ago. Business there quickly exceeded the couple’s expectations. 

“We were overwhelmed and we just couldn’t keep up with demand,” Stephen said. 

Stephen said he’s proud to run a true family-owned business. Ashlee’s brother helps run the St. Augustine store, while Stephen’s son has become a hat shaper and his younger son is joining the operation. 

“It’s nice to have that while you’re states away,” he said. 

At the Breckenridge shop, customers can choose from a range of hat materials — blends of wool, cashmere, rabbit and beaver fur — and customize them with a host of decorative materials. Ashlee has sourced dozens of decorative leather bands from Colorado artisans, along with feathers, dried flower arrangements known as “brim buds,” turquoise beads and plenty of other embellishments. The Crooks can also brand hats with custom designs like a person’s initials or small lightning bolt designs. 

The custom fitting process, she said, often transforms a client’s confidence.

“It’s a weird thing — when you’re making someone a hat, they kind of walk in nervous and intimidated,” Ashlee said. 

Each hat visit starts with a consultation during which Ashlee or Stephen learns more about the client’s style and other preferences. 

“But then when you walk out and you feel confident in that hat, you feel like a million bucks,” Ashlee said. 

While Western fashion has become increasingly popular in recent years, the Crooks say their customers extend beyond traditional ranching communities. 

“Between that and the rise of country music and (the TV show) “Yellowstone,” we’re finding that the everyday person that’s coming into this store is just curious about Western culture,” Ashlee said. 

Antler & Crown also sells popular cowboy boot brands, Western-style clothing and prints from local artists. Looking ahead, Antler & Crown plans to expand its local presence through events including the Breckenridge Sunday Farmers Market, which begins June 18. The couple also hopes to host more events inside the store and wants to bring more live country music to town. 

Antler & Crown will open daily at noon, starting Saturday, June 13. The store will remain open until 8 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. The store will be open Mondays through Thursdays until 7 p.m. and 6 p.m. on Sundays. While not necessary to enter the store, appointments can be booked at AntlerandCrown.com.