Friends Nichole Shepherd and Meredith Himmelman were at a concert together when they got talking about hats. On-stage performer Lukas Nelson had on his signature felt hat, and Himmelman mentioned it would be cool to learn how to make one. 

The Blue River locals reconnected the next day to do some research when they came across a class offered by Hollywood hat maker Tom Hirt.

The two took the class, fell in love with the craft and began toying around with the possibility of opening their own shop. 

Suddenly out of left field, an offer fell into their laps after a prime storefront opened up in downtown Breckenridge.

The offer came in March. The two were told they had to get in there April 1 or it was going to someone else. Knowing they could not pass the offer up, they took it.

Now Midsommar Hat Co. lives on South Main Street right across from Shepherd’s other business, DonLo Mercantile.

Midsommar Hat Co. specializes in sustainably sourced, handcrafted and sewn custom hats. Customers can have a hat made or purchase one ready to wear. 

Shepherd brings the experience of being a store owner, and Himmelman is a career photographer. Himmelman’s career has helped her create ties with people in the wedding industry. This comes in handy as the women look to hop on the trend of brides wearing custom hats instead of veils. 

“In general, more people are looking for quality custom hats,” Himmellman said. “It doesn’t specifically have to be for a wedding, but it is definitely a trend now instead of a $700 veil.” 

Shepherd and Himmelman also bring in local talent, such as Summit-based artist Devon Sharon, to help create unique designs for the hats. 

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“The art is fully customizable,” Sherpard said. “If you want your Bulldog’s face out there, we just need to get a picture, and we can make it happen.” 

Their shop has a section full of decorations such as feather and bands for people to add on to their customizable creations.

The two also make an effort to take a more sustainable approach to their hat making. 

“We use nutria, which is a sustainable alternative to Beaver,” Himmelman said. “We work with trappers and that is an invasive species that takes down the wetlands, so it ‘s better for the environment.” 

She continued that the store does have some hats made from beaver, just less of them, in addition to having hats made from rabbit.

Anything in their shops that is already made starts at $600, and custom hats start at $700. 

The women pride themselves on their hats being handmade. Custom hats can take between two to four weeks to design. This is subject to change, dependent on the customer’s request and what the shop currently has in stock. The shop also offers custom fitting parties for groups looking to have hats made and learn a bit about the process.