Made in Arizona: Company designs hats for any occasion

PHOENIX (FOX 10) - Father's Day is coming quick and if you're looking for a gift to buy - listen up! In today's Made in Arizona, we're talking hats. All colors, shapes, sizes, and styles. You can get them custom-made right here in Phoenix at Heritage Hats.

"We started this in the back of a little 1978 Dotson pickup truck," said Richard Glisson, owner of Heritage Hats.

And Glissan has been keeping Arizonans covered ever since. Over the years, things have changed quite a bit.

"We would go out to horse shows and rodeos and pass out fliers," Glisson said.

Now, cowboys aren't the only ones coming in for a custom fit. People from all walks of life are looking for their perfect brim.

"[The hats] are all handmade and if you look on the top you will see a circle," Glisson said. "These are just individual strands of straw and someone actually hand-weaves these. It takes 8-10 hours to make an average Panama. It can take up to two weeks to make real-life Panamas."

Sun protection on the golf course, a stylish stand-out for a party or a business-professional piece, whatever you need - this is the place. Glisson's work is well-known not only in Arizona but across the country. He's helped style some pretty important people.

"I made all the hats for the television show 'Glee,' I made a lot of hats for President Reagan, Geroge Burns, [and] Ladmo and Wallace," said Glisson. "I made all the hats for them. When they were getting ready to put them in the museum, I renovated all the hats for the museum."

It's a job that never goes out of style. Heritage Hats is now celebrating its 35th year with no plans to hang it up any time soon.