For the past 30 years, leading sports and headwear retailer Lids has offered the widest range of headwear – including fitted hats. Its contribution and importance is one of the staples of hip-hop. Following the brand’s successful launch of LidsHatDrop.com last year, which released an exclusive limited-edition collection of hats every Friday afternoon, the popular headwear destination has brought the concept to a new brick-and-mortar location in Queens.
Customers at the Jamaica Avenue store will get early access to exclusive limited-edition products every Friday at 11am. EST, an hour before they go on sale to the public at noon EST on LidsHatDrop.com.
“After visiting Queens, Jamaica in 2021, it was clear that this location was a perfect fit for our first brick-and-mortar store, the Lids Hat Drop concept store,” said Lids President Britten Maughan. “The area is known by headwear lovers as America’s hat mecca, so this location allows Lids to gain insight into hat culture while continuing to push trends through our exclusive releases. We’ve seen great success with LidsHatDrop.com, but Lids essentially More than a brick-and-mortar retailer, this concept is another step in our strategy to lead the conversation and become more entrenched in the hat community.”
“Lids Hat Drop was born out of our listening to the community,” said Alexandra Mason, vice president of portfolio marketing at Ames Watson, the private equity holding company that owns and operates Lids. “You can always buy a hat online, but you can’t replace a face-to-face connection. That’s why a brick-and-mortar store is so important, and why it means a lot to us to have it in Queens. People aren’t just there because they want to buy Hats. They also want to talk about their favorite styles and their favorite new collections, so it’s almost like a little community hub for hat lovers.”
LHD Queens will offer exclusive Ebbets Field Flannels (EFF) products. Since 1988, EFF has told untold stories in baseball history through vintage, authentic sportswear made in the USA.
“Ebbets Field Flannels has a huge fan base in New York, but there isn’t anywhere in New York where you can buy the product in person,” says Mason. “It’s a perfect fit for the Lids Hat Drop store because we want the shopping experience to be very different from other Lids locations so that customers see something new when they walk into the store.”
EFFs have been worn by stars like LeBron James and appeared in movies like 42 and A League of Their Own. LHD Queens will now exclusively showcase their hats and sweaters.
Lids Hat Drop will feature its own line of adjustable and fitted hats, as well as recent collaborations with Lids such as Marvel and Playboy. The store will also include a customization section, allowing shoppers to customize headwear in a variety of designs.
The store is located at 168-05 Jamaica Avenue, Queens, New York.
In addition to its first brick-and-mortar store, Lids Hat Drop, Lids has opened a university-focused store, Lids University, highlighting the brand’s transformation in the retail space.
Lids also recently celebrated National Hat Day (January 15), which is closely aligned with hat community initiatives such as the Ultimate Hat Collector Competition, honoring collectors with the most impressive collection of hats. The competition brings together hat collectors from different countries and international borders as the group develops into a truly one-of-a-kind company. The 2022 winner, Omar Heras, has amassed more than 800 hats over the past 18 years and even has a Lids tattoo, demonstrating the important role the retailer plays in the lives of the neighborhood’s residents.
This week, Lids released an exclusive Heroes vs. Villains collection. The 32 MLB silhouettes will be available in two colorways exclusively on lidshatdrop.com this Friday.
You can get a preview below.
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