When Tara Holapple decided to throw her hat into the ring as a designer, she expected there to be some interest in her custom-designed hats.
Just 11 months later, the Ramona resident said she’s still shocked that her company, Holapple Design, has sold 130 hats. She says 12 more hats are pending while she waits for materials to arrive to complete them. her work.
And this doesn’t include the multiple hat cleanings and repairs she completed.
“It messes with my mind,” Holsapple said. “It still amazes me when I see people walking around town wearing my hat.”
Her custom hats are in high demand from local residents. Many Ramona musicians also love these.
Susan Toothaker, who co-owns Toothaker Ranch with her husband Scott Toothaker, admits Holapple hats have become “a complete addiction.”
“When I finally met her and saw her different options, I fell in love,” Toothaker said.
She currently owns nine Holsapple hats, the latest of which is decorated with olives to fit in with the ranch’s operation, which produces olive oil.
“Each hat has a story. Every hat is a collaboration,” Toothaker said. “She’s a great craftsman, she’s lovely to work with, and people are happy with her hats.”
Holapple said she has always loved hats, but becoming a hat designer was never in her interest.
“I’ve been wearing hats since I was a kid, but they were always kept in a box,” she said, explaining that she often wore them when showing horses when she was younger. .
She said she didn’t wear a hat outside the show ring because she thought it made her look stupid.
But everything changed two years ago when her husband, Adam Holapple, asked her what she wanted for Christmas.
Her answer was clearly a hat, for no other reason than “I love hats, so I’m going to wear them.”
“I think he bought me four hats that year. I picked out a bunch of ones I liked from Target and went from there,” she said.
Holapple started receiving compliments on the hat, so she decided to try making one herself. She began her experiment with a hat she bought on clearance at a craft store.
Shortly after wearing her first piece, she said an old friend from high school approached her and wanted it.
“We made it into her festival hat so she could display the pins she collected from festival bands,” Holapple said.
“It snowballed from there,” she said.
She currently carries hats for men and women, and styles include cowboy, bowler, fedora, Porky Pie, rancher, top hat, open road, and more. She is willing to try almost any style except a baseball cap.
Her hats sell for $120 each, including a full consultation at her in-house studio.
Clients first choose their shape, size, and color from a variety of base hats in stock. Materials include high-quality straw, felt, leather, palm leaves, and vegan suede.
Next, Holsapple chooses statement pieces, such as vintage or old jewelry, that she uses in a unique way.
She said her favorite part of making hats is when customers bring in items that are sentimental to them.
“For example, if someone has an old piece of jewelry that they’ll never wear, it means a lot to me to be able to incorporate it into a hat,” Holapple said.
Choosing those items, she said, “gives you a sense of their style and the direction they want to go.”
Usually the next choice is the hat band. Styles include ribbon, lace, rope, chain, leather, snakeskin, and fabric.
“Personally, I love layering in odd numbers, using different materials and colors,” she said.
You can also add any accessories to your hat, from buttons, beads, and bullets to stones and studs. The top and bottom of the brim of the hat can also be decorated with lace, studs or special stitching.
“It’s their hat, and I’ll wear whatever they want to put on it,” she said, noting that she makes sure the selection “looks fun.”
Holapple is also gaining new customers who shop at the Hut Bars he launches at wineries and local events. Upcoming Hat Bar appearances include Ramona Ranch Winery on May 12th and June 22nd, Hayburn Afterparty at Reds, Whites & Brews on May 18th, and Ramona Town Hall on June 1st. Includes burner benefits.
Terry Kearns, owner of Ramona Ranch Winery, along with his partner Michole Moore, purchased three hats from Holapple.
“I love Tara’s hats! She takes the time to understand each person’s personality and creates a custom hat that fits them,” Kearns said.
Kearns said she bought the brooch on a recent trip to France, and Holapple used it to make a hat that is “a unique memory for me.”
Kearns’ other hats include a French blue hat that pairs perfectly with her sundress, and one embellished with items reminiscent of her previous home in Oregon.
In addition to running the business, Holsapple wears several hats. Her full-time job is as a hearing technician for the San Diego County Department of Education, specializing in hearing health and communication.
She has been married to Adam for two years.
“We both grew up in Ramona, were the same age and graduated from the same school, but we had never met,” she said. The two met through Facebook four years ago and realized they had a lot in common.
Holsapple and Adam have a child named Van (11 years old). She also has two adult children, Ethan (19) and Kaiya (18).
She said she wants to continue growing her hat business.
“I’ve done other craft projects and business ventures, but there’s nothing else I’d rather do,” she said.
And she has some advice for those considering their own hats.
“Wear your hat if you like!” she said.
Holsapple Design Co. can be reached through her Facebook and Instagram pages. The email is: [email protected] Or call us at 760-685-5507.