Canada's oldest hat store still going strong after 90 years
Since 1932, Montreal's Henri Henri has been filled to the brim with every possible kind of hat, from newsboy caps to feathered fedoras.
Until 16 years ago, Francis Bissonnette-Gilker didn't know much about hats, but during a resume run in the city's Latin Quarter, a friend dared him to apply to Henri Henri.
"I guess they liked the cut of my jib since they told me to get a suit and come back tomorrow," he said.
Now, he has an encyclopedic knowledge of hats and uses it to help customers find their perfect match.
"We also look at what people like, what they wear and we try to find the best style, the best balance," he said.
The store was founded by hat salesmen Jean-Maurice Lefebvre and Honorius Henri in 1932.
At first they only specialized in a few brands and styles, but over the years their collection and clientele expanded.
Today, many celebrities, musicians and hockey players stop by Henri Henri when they're in Montreal.
Shows like Yellowstone and Peaky Blinders have also created more hat interest in young people.
But it's also the old-school glamour that attracts them, according Bissonnette-Gilker.
"They like the fact that we have the same furniture for 90 years and that we have the same cash register," he said. "They love that we still serve them kind of old school."
The hats aren't cheap, but they are made to last.
The store also offers cleaning, reshaping and repair services.
Sylvain Labbe is one of the few hatters or "chapeliers" in the country.
Trained in France, and having spent 18 years with Cirque du Soleil, he does all his work by hand.
"It's an ancient art," he said. "The tools and methods haven't changed much."
The throughline at Henri Henri is tradition.
The business has always been family fun, and today, father and son duo Joel and Yannig Plunier are at the helm.
Lately, Joel has been working on taking Henri Henri to a wider audience.
"We're putting a lot of energy in our e-commerce," he said. "that's the future."
Their stockrooms are filled with the latest bowlers, porkpies, Stetsons and even kangaroo-leather caps, but the most prized is a Borsalino panama hat.
Each one takes three months to weave and costs $1,400.
"They are more than just fashion accessories," Bissonnette-Gilker said. "Yes, they look good. But they also serve a purpose, especially if you're balding."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
NEW Pack the macaroni necklace: Lessons on evacuations from a woman who fled one of Canada's worst wildfires
Carol Christian had 15 minutes to evacuate her home during the Fort McMurray wildfires in 2016. She ended up losing the house and everything inside. Now, she wants to share the lessons she learned.
Scheffler detained by police at PGA Championship for not following orders after traffic fatality
Masters champion Scottie Scheffler was detained by police Friday morning on his way to the PGA Championship, with stunning images showing him handcuffed as he was led to a police car. ESPN reported he failed to follow police orders during a pedestrian fatality investigation.
Ontario sees first measles death in more than a decade after young child dies
A young child has died of measles in Ontario, marking the first death in the province from the highly contagious virus in more than 10 years, a Public Health Ontario report confirms.
Think twice before sharing 'heartbreaking' social media posts, RCMP warn
Mounties in B.C. are urging people to think twice before sharing "heartbreaking posts" on social media.
'Ugly produce': One way Canadians are shrinking rising grocery bills
As the cost of food in Canada has risen, grocery shoppers are looking at ways to reduce their grocery bill, and more are choosing price over beauty, turning to companies that deliver so-called 'misfit' produce at a fraction of the cost.
Vatican revamps norms to evaluate visions of Mary as it adapts to Internet age and combats hoaxers
The Vatican on Friday radically reformed its process for evaluating alleged visions of the Virgin Mary, weeping statues and other seemingly supernatural phenomena, insisting on having the final say in whether the events are worthy of popular devotion.
Wildfires are dampening against cool, rainy weather, but there's plenty left to contain
An opportune system of cool, wet weather Friday is dampening the spread of wildfires across Western Canada, but there's still plenty of work for responders and residents alike.
Jessica Biel hopes to normalize the conversation around menstruation with a new children's book
Jessica Biel is the author of a new children’s book focused on destigmatizing and normalizing the conversation around menstruation.
5 secrets to moving better and preventing avoidable injury
Countless people seek emergency care for back pain, muscle strains and similar injuries resulting from “moving wrong” during mundane, everyday tasks such as bending over to tie shoes, lifting objects or doing household chores.