SMF

I just read a thread at Fedora Lounge that Alex Tilly announced in the Canadian news that his hat company is for sale. Group purchase offer? Let's pool our resources and see if he will carry most of the debt for us. Wendell can run it, we can get free hats.

I'll be willing to throw my hat into the ring!

What's he asking for it?

I'd need more information (like seeing the books). At my age I'm not looking for a gamble. But my mind is open.

Edit: It just struck me... That's just what I need, another business. Mind still open though.

Tilley announced this in the Toronto Globe & Mail on Tuesday, 13 January. Target announced today that it is withdrawing from Canada ASAP.

Rufus wrote:Tilley announced this in the Toronto Globe & Mail on Tuesday, 13 January. Target announced today that it is withdrawing from Canada ASAP.

Yup -- Alex is in his mid 70's and wants to fully "retire". Not a bad gig for a guy who wanted to make the "best dog-gone sailing hat" eh? But on another positive Canadian business front -- Canada Goose just announced they are building another manufacturing facility in the GTA --- I think they reported it to be built in Scarborough on the radio while I was driving the DVP yesterday back downtown from meetings in Markham. Worries over quality and the manufacturing being taken out of Canada when Bain Capital acquired controlling interest in 2013.

Re: Target --- the retailer's total debacle here in Canada has been nothing short of the retail equivalent of Fonzie's jumping the shark. Initially, the news actually resulted in a 3% increase in stock prices, until things settled back in for the day, and they closed essentially even.

Too many changes -- luckily I have plenty of shaving supplies ..... not that it has anything to do with this thread, I'm just saying .....

If there's free hats on the line, you hat guys should definitely do it. I will commit to buying one as soon as you've closed the deal.

I still have my Tilley hat from 1986. It's one of the original sailing models and is a darn fine hat albeit a bit heavy. I can't say that I've been enamoured of Alex's subsequent offerings since then or his foray into clothing; not good value in my opinion; quality is there, but pricing is not. I do, however, take my hat off (please pardon the pun) to Alex Tilley for his entrepreneurship and successfully building a widely recognised brand.

As for Canada Goose, I still haven't got these guys figured out: Prices are high, quality is good, but there's not an ounce of goose down in their coats other than in their uber-expensive ones; also they don't divulge the down to feather ratio in their coats and haven't responded to my several enquiries in this regard. Furthermore, they splash their logo in the most conspicuous places, as if they were paying the wearer to advertise for them. I think they're trying to be the Montblanc or Rolex of winter wear: highly hyped and over priced. Perhaps I'm being overly cynical.

Well, Montblancs and Rolexes do work but I would rather wear Army surplus than sport something with a prominent logo.

I think you have it nailed re: Canada Goose, Bryan.

It tickles me how prominent they are in Toronto ..... regardless of how cold it is. A couple of weeks before Christmas, it was around +5c or so, and everyone is walking around in these enormous coats with their logo all zipped up. And then this week, while I was in Toronto, it was much colder. around -20c with the wind chill, and here everyone's walking around in their Canada Goose parkas, open, with scarfs wrapped rather elegantly around their necks ... and I am thinking .... really? You guys have more money then you have sense --- and then I thought --- how youth is wasted on the wrong people (cf It's a Wonderful Life).

Brother.

jww wrote:I think you have it nailed re: Canada Goose, Bryan.

It tickles me how prominent they are in Toronto ..... regardless of how cold it is. A couple of weeks before Christmas, it was around +5c or so, and everyone is walking around in these enormous coats with their logo all zipped up. And then this week, while I was in Toronto, it was much colder. around -20c with the wind chill, and here everyone's walking around in their Canada Goose parkas, open, with scarfs wrapped rather elegantly around their necks ... and I am thinking .... really? You guys have more money then you have sense --- and then I thought --- how youth is wasted on the wrong people (cf It's a Wonderful Life).

Brother.

An old English proverb succinctly sums it up: "A fool and his money are soon parted."

In the GTA Canada Goose coats are especially ubiquitous in Starbucks....hmmm, could there be a connection?

Which begs the question of how the fool got his money in the first place.

Squire wrote:Which begs the question of how the fool got his money in the first place.

Ah, The Greater Fool Theory at work.

Prominent logo? Never. Pay me to wear it, otherwise it's a non-starter everytime. I won't do it.

Exactly my feelings Brian.

Mine too, except for ball clubs!

Hey, Brian, how much is Krampert's paying you?

Suppose someone has a brand that needs some exposure, and someone else wants to sell some clothing that shows the brand prominently displayed. The clothing line catches on, and the result is that the owner of the brand generates a lot of revenue through licensing. I'm just saying some folks prefer not to wear clothing that prominently displays a brand, while on the other end of the spectrum, some other folks consider it cool to buy and wear clothing that is decorated with the brand on display. Nothing wrong either way. Just a matter of personal taste.

Or one could wear knock-offs and most aren't any the wiser.

It's getting difficult, particularly in the area of sportswear, to find clothing that doesn't have some type of visible logo. I guess one's interpretation of "prominent" is the key. The newer, large Polo logo is hideous, but the smaller one doesn't bother me. It's often done in an attractive accent color that adds a nice touch. Columbia, Bean and Bauer, to name a few, have understated logos on most items.

jww wrote:Or one could wear knock-offs and most aren't any the wiser.

You definitely can, but then you'd be aiding and abetting a criminal enterprise.