DelMonico Hatter Closes After 118 Years

By Paul Bass, New Haven Independent

NEW HAVEN, CT — Julius Stone pulled his black Kia to the Elm Street curb Thursday to conduct a half-century-old ritual: buy a new dress hat at DelMonico Hatter.

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He had a grey fedora in mind.

He, and anyone else aiming to look sharp above their foreheads, were out of luck: The fourth-generation family-run store has suddenly closed, at least for now.

Ben DelMonico, whose great-grandfather Ernest founded the shop in 1908, posted a notice in the window informing the public that "DelMonico Hatter is permanently closed."

"Thank you for your years of patronage."

Rows of hats lined shelves and spread across the floor inside the locked shop.

As of Wednesday, the shop's website was taken down, with a "permanently closed" Google notice.

The sign may be premature, according to Ben DelMonico. He told the Independent by text message Thursday that "the future is in the air," that pending family discussions, the store "may reopen." He declined further comment.

"It's sad," said Stone (pictured), a retired social worker who began buying Kangols at the shop in his teens. Wearing a Knicks cap on Thursday, he said a new grey fedora would "complete my outfit."

DelMonico's sign directs customers to Holland Hats, an appointment-only, mostly internet-focused hatter in Hamden.

Bruce Holland, who owns that shop, said Thursday morning he was still trying to reach Ben DelMonico to learn more. He said he doubted he would try to take over the Elm Street store but would discuss the possibility of purchasing the hats.

Holland is also a DelMonico: Ernest DelMonico was his great-grandfather. Holland grew up hanging out at the Elm Street store, which was originally on the corner of Orange until moving one building east on Elm toward State. Holland's grandfather, Joseph DelMonico, ran the shop for 73 years, until 2001. Joseph's son, also named Ernest, ran the shop starting in 2001. New Haven's other hat stores had closed as headwear tastes shifted in the latter part of the 20th century; Ernest revived his shop by turning to the internet to build a broader customer base. Ben, who at the time was studying to become a priest, took over the shop in 2013. (Click here for a previous story about the store's history.)

Ben DelMonico has been active with fellow store owners concerned about plans to wipe out street parking along Elm Street's northern rim to make way for new bus rapid-transit lanes. He's joined by two other multi-generational traditional retailers working hard to stay in business within a block of his store: Ferrucci Men's Clothiers (founded 1963, currently occupying the former DelMonico space at Orange and Elm) and Kebabian Rugs on Elm between Orange and Church (founded 1882).

The New Haven Independent is a not-for-profit public-interest daily news site founded in 2005.