T Snook of Bridport

It is not often that I post about a fellow beret seller, but T. Snook of Bridport (UK) is well worth the exception.

The shop was founded in 1896 when Tom Snook began his career as an apprentice tailor. He soon opened his first shop at 18 West Street, running it as a gentlemen’s outfitters – incorporating hats, naturally, as in those days everybody wore one

Tom's son Tom Jr, took over the shop in 1946. During WWII the premises at 18 West St sustained bomb damage, leading to Tom Jr, eventually, deciding to relocate: in 1964 he bought a property just down the road at 30-32 West Street and shifted the shop into No.32.

In 2010 Roger and Monica Snook, with the help of a voluntary committee, launched the first Bridport Hat Festival, which was a huge success. Eight years later they handed the now-annual event fully over to the committee to carry forward, having raised both the profile of hats and many thousands of pounds for head-related charities.