Straw Hats

Where is the best place to buy straw hats? Your favorite place.

Thanks, Gringomojado!
Guess I should say I'm looking around here. You know, like, the vendors along the carretera versus the Chapala malecon. . . And is there a hat shop anywhere?

You probably remember the place in Joco??

Yes! Thanks.

i bought 2 hats at that place in jocotepec

They sell hats just up from Roberto's - going w on Carreterra... probably not great - sign says hats for 25 pesos..

then one day a few month back, in Chapala I was going down a side street from the main drag (not the hill side) - could have been at the bus station but maybe not - and I caught a glimpse of a hat store - lots of hats - it would have been the first or possibly but not probably the 2nd store - All I saw were the hats - and wasn't paying attention to signage - and one of these days I will go back and check them out

If you are willing to take a moderate drive, the selection in Suhuayo is huge! As you enter Suhuayo from the north, stands appear on both sides of the highway.

Just what I was hoping to hear! Thanks, Max, I'm going to hunt it down!

Great excuse to take a ride to Suhuayo, thanks CG.

There is a nice little store in San Juan Cosala right at the stop light. On the right hand side as you are entering from Ajijic.

Thanks, Julie, I'll check it out!

If you are facing the entrance to the Chapala mercado (central plaza) there is a hat shop on the outside to the left. Tons of hats.

That's right! Forgot about that place, thanks borderreiver.

A lot of those inexpensive places like roadside or on the malecon sell hats that are very stiff. I prefer ones that are softer (made of more flexible material or a different weave) as they are much more comfortable.

Where do you buy them?

Good question.
A year or so ago at one of the events in the Ajijic plaza a guy had the "softer" ones for sale. 500 pesos! They must be sold cheaper some where else.

Trailrunner wrote:Where do you buy them?

Thanks, Cypress! All the best hats I've ever seen were in that price range, except for down in Mérida where they were a bit less expensive. Then!

Found the sombrero tienda in Chapala on the first go-round, it's directly across from the bus station on that street. First business past the corner. Kind of lime green. Lots of hats, mostly stiff ones, and inexpensive. Found a good-enough-for-now one, 35 pesos, very nice man and family. LOTS of hats.

Thanks to all for your suggestions!

Trailrunner wrote:Where do you buy them?

Not WalMart!

Copy. Not WalMart.

My impression of straw hats in Mexico is that the stiffer the better as a fashion statement? In fact, from some that I have examined closely, they may coat them with some product (?) to give them the body and stiffness. That said, we saw plenty of tourists in Tlaquepaque with the soft floppy type that seem to be quite popular with the NOB types. Either they traveled somewhere where soft was in or they brought them with them? It was important that they were wearing fanny packs with country flags along with sandals with high socks.