Raising the (hat) bar in Saratoga

“We’re not selling a cowboy hat, we’re selling a lifestyle.”

This seems to be the unofficial motto for Sophia Borg, owner of Palomino Hat Bar which recently opened inside of StrongTower Designs in Saratoga. On July 8, StrongTower Designs celebrated its 10th Anniversary and the grand opening of Borg’s business.

Western Roots,

Southern Charm

With her southern drawl and charm, Borg may seem like a transplant from the south but she is no stranger to Saratoga. The milliner, in fact, has deep roots in the Platte Valley.

“My family has been here for three generations. We have ranched out here, my mother has had a business out here and now I have a business out here,” said Borg. “My great aunt was one the founding members of the Old Baldy Club and my mother’s business was Humor Outfitters, previously known as Laughing Cow Press.”

Borg’s mother, Susanna, ran Laughing Cow Press in partnership with the late Jerry Palen and his wife, Ann. Having spent many summers in Saratoga as a child, Borg said it was her goal to be a full-time Saratoga resident since she was six-years-old. Later in life, she visited Saratoga during the winter when there was downtime from her ranch in Tennessee. According to Borg, if ever she received an offer on the property, she decided she would relocate to Saratoga as a full-time resident.

“I can live without sweet tea, that’s fine,” said Borg.

You’re not going to wear a nice cowboy hat without a nice pearl snap, you’re not going to wear a pearl snap without a good pair of jeans and then that goes to the boots.”

~ Sophia Borg

Knowing she would be calling Saratoga home, Borg reached out to Ray and Jamie Bernal, owners of StrongTower Designs.

“Ray and Sophia had been talking that when she wanted to come out here to live that she needed to find a vocation that she could do and enjoy outside of horses. She had approached us about how popular these hats were among the horse crowd and asked if we’d be interested in adding that to our business,” said Jamie. “Knowing Sophia and her talent, we said ‘absolutely.’”

A Hat Above the Rest

It appears to be a wise decision on the part of the Bernals.

“We were already carrying the used hats, so we had a customer for the hats, we just weren’t taking it to the level she’s taken it for us,” said Ray. “As soon as she got here, all the hats we had here she cleaned up and reworked them.”

Borg’s TLC on the hats resulted in them flying off the shelves. From May 1 to July, StrongTower Designs and Palomino Hat Bar sold approximately 117 hats. Even more hats have been sold during shows held by Borg. The customer base ranges from local ranchers to tourists to employees from the local resort ranches like Brush Creek and A Bar A.

“The wranglers and I are good friends. I have branded their boots, their shoes, their belts. I have shaped their hats and cleaned their hats,” said Borg. “I have a good time with the Brush Creek wranglers and Brush Creek has contacted us a few times for parties. They were able to come into the store, exclusively shop and get their hats done all at the same time.”

“And these were guests,” said Jamie. “They’re seeing the wranglers and the people out there and they’re asking ‘Where are you getting these hats?’ and then they’re making a point to come into Saratoga on their stay to have Sophia customize a hat for them.”

Employees from A Bar A ranch, south of Encampment, come in at least once a week to buy hats, clothing and jewelry.

“It all works hand-in-hand, it has just been a tremendous blessing to us because it has increased people coming in and outfitting themselves from top to bottom,” said Jamie.

Ten Years In the Making

The addition of Palomino Hat Bar comes as Ray and Jamie celebrate 10 years in business. From their beginnings on the west side of Bridge Avenue, the business relocated next to Koyoty Sports and has evolved in the new space.

“We have been so well received in this community and it’s been nice to be able to offer used jeans and boots and things like that to people,” said Jamie. “We have nicer boots they can wear out and not have that big price tag. We have the largest turquoise (jewelry) collection this side of the Mississippi.”

Ray and Jamie tend to avoid using the term “thrift” when it comes to their selection. With 501 Levi Jeans, pearl snap western shirts and a wide variety of boots it’s hard to define the inventory.

“It’s gently used and it is now authentic vintage-wear,” said Sophia. ““Everything goes hand-in-hand. You’re not going to wear a nice cowboy hat without a nice pearl snap, you’re not going to wear a pearl snap without a good pair of jeans and then that goes to the boots. It’s like the salad dressing to the salad.”

According to Jamie, StrongTower had one of their best sale days on July 8 with their anniversary celebration running from the afternoon into the evening.

“It just gave us great exposure,” said Jamie. “When we extended the hours, it gave people something to do in the afternoon.”

While Jamie and Sophia watched the shop, Ray joined Teense Wilford and the other members of Wyoming Homegrown out front where he played guitar and traded off-brand humor with Wilford.

“I think it was also awesome to see Ray not just behind the counter, not just a jewelry artist,” said Sophia.

Looking to the Future

Since Sophia’s inclusion into StrongTower Designs, big changes have already taken place. For starters, Palomino Hat Bar is now the exclusive Wyoming dealer for Texas-based ProHats.

“A girl from Saratoga actually has their hats and wore them during a show and tagged us in it. We just started talking and they asked us if we’d be Wyoming’s exclusive dealer. WIth that, we now are partners with them and they ship us hats,” said Sophia. “Every single influencer, any person they sponsor for rodeos, will have to come and get their hats from us. We will have around 200 to 250 hats at any given time once we get the whole order shipped.”

With a successful present, the trio are looking towards the future. According to Jamie, the goal in the next five years for her and Ray is to travel more and let Sophia take over the business. While they’re on the road, they will act as buyers for Sophia as they try to get more customized and unique clothing into their inventory. Both Sophia and Jamie said a major goal is to allow Ray more time to work on his own jewelry, which sits in the shop alongside the extensive collection of turquoise. For all three, while the business is about more than making money.

“We’re in business to make relationships first,” said Jamie.

“Her niece got a hat done and I looked at Jamie and said ‘This is exactly what it’s all about.’ The look on her face, she just gasped at how beautiful it turned out and was so excited,” said Sophia.

StrongTower Designs and Palomino Hat Bar is open 10 am to 5 pm Monday through Saturday. Appointments can also be made for visits after hours.