Why does lakewood need so many hat stores

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  • #618899
    Mazel
    Member

    To many hat stores in lakewood will prices be reduced to the benefit of us consumers

    #1205987
    Lightbrite
    Participant

    Maybe it’s good inventory since their hats may always be in style.

    Every Jewish man and married woman cover their heads outside, so there is a greater demand.

    Maybe some people are loyal to the hat store owners that they knew.

    Maybe before moving to Lakewood, the hat store owners owned a hat store business in a more remote area. Despite more stores in the area, they figured that Hashem is in charge of parnassah anyway and they had faith that Hashem wanted them to continue their business.

    Maybe selling hats is a good way to get to know *big heads* in the community. As in, selling hats to the leading rabbi or mayor helped make strong connections.

    Hat stores may appeal to any generation and age. Even little kids can get fun kippot or headbands^

    ^Dunno what they sell at Lakewood hat stores besides hats but I assume that they at least cater to children and make additional sales for the small stuff too, maybe. Maybe not. Please correct me if my hypothesis is incorrect.

    ….and the Winner is… because Hat Stores were the next step to open up for new immigrants.

    Jewish immigrants came to NY in waves.

    In time they moved out into other neighborhoods and NJ. As trains made traveling outside of NY practical.

    American Jewish Immigration:

    After spending their money for the boat ship across the ocean, many Jewish immigrants often took factory jobs in the garment industry.

    Sometimes they got to work up to become tailors. All they needed to carry was their needle. Many Jews already had a keen eye for studying Torah and reading. Jobs that focused on the details were fitting.

    Of course there were also Jews that had bigger sights. They came to America and wanted a piece of the dream. So they started their own businesses.

    Typically these enterprising Jewish men started by carrying their wares on their back. One-man shows. They had a sack of common necessities. Maybe scarves and hats too. They traveled around the streets and markets selling what they could.

    From there, they could get a cart. A horse with cart. And the few who made it, like really made it, opened up their own stores. A retail location.

    They sold what people needed. People traveling through the area and new residents often needed hats. Sometimes hats needed to be replaced. Or they were gifts. Every child comes B”H with a head. Every Jewish head in time b’esrat Hashem would need to be covered.

    I am guessing that the hat shops of today may have been inherited as well. The children who grew up in and out of his or her parent’s shop is now running the show.

    Hopefully this explains some of the history of today’s roots. I don’t know of Lakewood’s hat store owners personally. I do know that there is more to a story than our personal experience. We are another link in a chain. Maybe at least one shop’s story fits in here.

    Have you thought to ask the hat store owner?

    #1205988
    Lightbrite
    Participant

    Prices also depend on the store’s costs to remain open and profitable.

    In theory yes but that is not always reasonable for the store to stay afloat.

    Perhaps they offer a warranty or superior customer service. Or a good deal on two or more.

    Do they hat stores ever have holiday sales or inventory clearances?

    #1205989
    Meno
    Participant

    Someone started a thread about hat stores in Lakewood recently, maybe you should post your question there (I have a feeling you might even know the person who started it):

    http://www.theyeshivaworld.com/coffeeroom/topic/buying-a-new-hat-in-lakewood

    #1205990
    Meno
    Participant

    Prices are generally set by supply and demand (except in cases where the government gets involved). It’s actually a quite simple concept.

    #1205991
    Hashemisreading
    Participant

    because it gets very cold in Lakewood

    #1205992
    Lightbrite
    Participant

    Supply and demand yes.

    Yet is it really that simple?

    Even when all the merchants have the same hat costs, inventory, and demand, hat prices vary.

    Why wouldn’t a store with more baseline expenses, such as higher rent and employee salaries (and employees), not charge more per hat to account for their greater profit needs?

    Then again what about other motivators for pricing? Some people, regardless of the cost to maintain their business, may need more profits to support their families.

    Or sometimes stores add more to their prices to account for expected losses due to various factors, including damaged hats.

    #1205993
    ☕ DaasYochid ☕
    Participant

    Someone may have a bigger family, but if the store down the block sells hats for $150, he won’t sell very many hats at $200.

    #1205994
    Lightbrite
    Participant

    True dat.

    #1205995
    Meno
    Participant

    LB- “Why wouldn’t a store with more baseline expenses, such as higher rent and employee salaries (and employees), not charge more per hat to account for their greater profit needs?

    Then again what about other motivators for pricing? Some people, regardless of the cost to maintain their business, may need more profits to support their families.

    Or sometimes stores add more to their prices to account for expected losses due to various factors, including damaged hats.”

    Because all these things would cause demand to go down, in which case they would have to lower their prices if they want people to step in the door.

    Bottom line is: people don’t really care why you’re charging more unless you’re doing it to directly benefit them (e.g. better return policy, better customer service). And if you are actually doing something extra to benefit the customer, demand goes up, justifying the increase in price.

    It’s all supply and demand.

    #1205996
    Lightbrite
    Participant

    Maybe the Lakewood hat stores also sell online?

    They expanded their market, which helps them all get more than enough business for profits.

    #1205997
    Meno
    Participant

    How do you buy a hat online? Don’t you need to try it on?

    #1205998
    Lilmod Ulelamaid
    Participant

    If people buy clothes online, why not hats? I don’t really get the clothes thing either, but I know that it’s done.

    Are hats so complicated in terms of fitting? I would have thought that you just need to know your size and any hat in that size would fit. Is it more complicated?

    #1205999
    Meno
    Participant

    It’s more complicated. Different shapes work for different people. Also, even if you get two of the exact same hat, there is often some variation.

    I only buy clothes online if there is a really good return policy (e.g. Amazon, Nordstrom, Macy’s).

    #1206000
    Lightbrite
    Participant

    Yes.

    I’ve bought hats (maybe less than ten over the years) online.

    I have returned or not been so fond of at least half of them.

    I try to purchase from stores that offer free returns (includes free shipping back).

    For a small business, I picture frequent returns and/or exchanges adding up to a big burden.

    Hmm… maybe they sell other inventory online, like used hats? On eBay. And keep the hat store retail front a hat store.

    Anyone else in Lakewood? Maybe someone is a hat store owner and has an answer.

    Maybe there aren’t so many hat stores and a lot of mirrors next to the one hat store?

    OR… There is a restriction on opening up retail stores in Lakewood after a new zoning law. So when a few stores wanted to close their business, one hat store owner urged them to stay and put his/her hats in those stores so that they could keep their zoning rights.

    Or maybe people in Lakewood like hats.

    #1206001
    Meno
    Participant

    “Or maybe people in Lakewood like hats.”

    There are people in Lakewood who wear hats every day.

    #1206002
    iacisrmma
    Participant

    and why does Boro Park have so many pizza stores and bakeries? and why does Williamsburgh have so many dress stores?

    There is enough business to go around.

    #1206003
    Lightbrite
    Participant

    Sounds like Boro Park is very Chalavi-friendly.

    #1206004
    Eli51
    Participant

    Lets be honest here the reason why there are so many hats stores in Lakewood is so the owner of the stores can make money.

    #1206005
    Pro Jews
    Member

    does anyone ask why are there so many coffee stores in manhattan? no. so why do we care about how many hat stores there are in lakewood? we must stop nitpicking.

    #1206006
    Meno
    Participant

    Who’s nitpicking?

    #1206007
    Lightbrite
    Participant

    PJ: I think that the OP wanted to buy a hat and this thread was a natural progression from that initial desire.

    Maybe we can comment on the other thread with relevant assistance in helping the OP find a hat?

    #1206008
    Pro Jews
    Member

    Nitpicking – looking for small or unimportant errors or faults, especially in order to criticize unnecessarily.

    Stop!!! Just stop!

    We must ask ourselves. Do we care or do we sneer?

    Do we like or do we mock?

    Do we appreciate these stores for the storeowners???????????

    #1206009
    Meno
    Participant

    “Nitpicking – looking for small or unimportant errors or faults, especially in order to criticize unnecessarily.”

    With that said, I’ll ask again: Who’s nitpicking?

    #1206010
    Lightbrite
    Participant

    Who was criticizing?

    Imho the OP was saying that there were so many hat stores or choose from and wondering if somehow the abundance of retailers would offer customers a financial advantage.

    I cannot speak for Hashem but I know that praying for parnassah according to His Will is permitted. Earning parnassah through a halachically respectable Torah-abiding business is also permissible.

    Saying that hat store owners are working for money shows how they work to support themselves and provide goods to the community.

    I’m trying to guess what else you can find fault with here but I’m done.

    Mods is it just me or have we’ve been Dan Lekaf Zechut?

    Thank you

    #1206011
    Eli51
    Participant

    To Lighbrite

    I never said it was a bad thing to open a hat store to make money. My point is that there is no reason to ask the question as to why there are so many hats stores in Lakewood as we all know the answer as to why. To me as long as the hat stores don’t open on the same block as a competitor than why not have Hat Stores or what ever store an owner wants to open so he/she can make make a parnassa.

    #1206012
    Meno
    Participant

    I feel like this whole thread is just one big misunderstanding.

    #1206013
    Lightbrite
    Participant

    Meno +1

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