Customer Letter

Hello, Mr. Rand and Staff,


Thank you, thank you, thank you, I am thrilled with my new custom Rand Hat!
 The entire experience leaves me with quite a feeling of satisfaction! I can
 now say, "I AM a real cowgirl!" with confidence!
 
From the first step in your front door, Mr. Ritch Rand, you were a gentleman
and a scholar! In no time, you and my husband set me up with style, color
and practicality, all keeping in mind a 'working hat' I could wear every
day. You also had just gotten back from NFR with new orders and you so
generously put our order first and it would be done in February. Did I ever
feel special! I was happy to get the call it was finished and we rushed up
and was helped by your courteous, friendly staff. Let me tell you, I can
wear it every day and have never before experienced a comfortable hat that
stays on while loping in the wind, (the windstring didn't even tug) and it
fits without any pressure anywhere! I am amazed! I am proud to wear your
brand!
 
If only I had it at the time of filming! (See first link below....the US
State Dept. did a 3 minute profile of our cattle ranching family to help
educate foreign countries on "America Out West".)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tn9T1fDI5W4

Stetson boots and a Rand Hat at the airport in Vegas. The Hats is his shade for some sleep. Big or samll we hit them all. The hats keeps on going and going.

New Year

Dear Rand's customers and Family..  

It has been a long Journey the last few months since we left in December for the NFR in Las Vegas.

This will be the first year in many years that our winter markets and shows all cross over on some of their dates. Being in two places at once with our professional staff that has worked for us for many years was very difficult to say the least.  The NFR was terrific and we worked there for two weeks showing off all our new hats.  We are constantly coming up with new low crowns and special bands. We have more that a dozen new hats to share with you now. If you have something special in mind just e-mail us a photo and we can duplicate the hat for you in any color. After the NFR everybody on our staff were wore down to a frazzle. Some had a cold and flu bug.

We drove to Reno and put our Truck and Trailer in Storage, for the next event. which was coming up right after Christmas.

Next, we had to be in Denver for the WESA Market and the Stock show. This is the biggest wholesale market for Stores Western of the year. I personally had to leave a little early and take a plane to Reno. Which is still very frustrating  for a cowboy with a hat and a briefcase. No room to sit on these planes. For those of you who know me I am 6ft. 8 inches tall and believe me there is no place for me on planes these days. I need a special permit just to sit where my knees aren't in the isle.

So staff and I greeted all the outdoor hunters and sportsman at the FNAWS Hunting expo. We have exhibited there for more than 20 years. After that I was supposed to fly back to Billings and the plane was late and I had a terrible cough and cold.  I spent the next week in bed in a hotel. Finally My staff at my office and my doctor at home sent me some drugs to help me start to recover from a terrible virus.

We have the largest outdoor show of the year the Safari club International show in Vegas. Back we go with our Truck and Trailer in tow. If you have not added this up yet myself and other staff members have been gone for weeks.

Our new low safari hats soft in many colors, were a huge hit at this show. We have been showing there and involved with these sportsman for 25 years.  We are producing all our new styles in photos, and post cards we can get you pictures and color samples if you need.

We have new dealers coming on as Special Rand hat shop dealers all over this year. I will update everyone soon. One in Cheyenne Wyo. Canada, Utah, Santa Fe. N Mexico. and  Calif x 2  we are working on additional dealers in the Denver area.

Our  designer Josh A. spent a week in our shop helping us design a bunch of new hats for the Saddle club collection.

Big Thanks to josh for Fresh Ideas, Great art, And many laughs.

One of our new hats is the McQue 7  just like the Steve McQueen hat in Magnificent 7 what a great movie.

Of course when we were traveling we have been inspired to make an additional new Rockin Bar hat in smoke with a hand braided very small hat band and a contrasting binding ribbon edge.  It is a handsome hat. We saw a lot of our friends on the road that we only get to see once a year. Too many to mention. We are very grateful that we got through another year and have a lot of long term relationships that continue on. Randy, Connie, Josh, Thad, Jessica, Rudy. Tom, Nancy, Bruce, Rudy, Sonny, Tamara, Don, ,Kim, Cathy, Steve, Keith, Lisa, Jack, Barc, Kelly, Jorge, Jim. We lost one of our old friends Jack Upchurch Sr. This year.. forgive me as there are to many of our loyal friends that we only get to see once and a while. Dave, Trent, Gary, Sue, Mike, Kate, Austin, Most of our crew who have real lives ourside of Rand's have trained and worked for us for many years and we always Thank them very much

Keep sending in your pictures and Thank you goes out for all the E-mails..

A customer from the Santa Barbra California sent us a picture.

Holiday Season!

Shop small is the word. Small business day celebrated all over the US is this week right after Thanksgiving. Remember your miniature hat in a Hatbox, Cowboy Sack, Western Tissue, DVD's full color catalog and the rest of the custom fitting is up to us. If you want a personalized gift, we can make it. Call us and talk to Chely, Terri or whoever answers. We are open Monday thru Friday 8 to 5 Mountain Standard time. Check out our new gift certificates.

 Winter is here, here in Montana we have a few inches of snow and the Temperature was a chilly 5 degrees. It got up to 34 degrees today. I talked to my friend in Fort Worth, Tx today, and it was in the 70's. No wonder all the best team ropers in the world live in Texas. 

The Cowboy Christmas show in Vegas starts on Dec 1st through the 10^th located at the Las Vegas convention center. Rand's booth number is 560. I will be on duty along with Jorge, Kelly, and Cathy. Please come see all our new hats.

 We also created bar codes for ever ones smart phones, so that you can scan it and up pops our latest video. We have new post cards, of the Rancho Deluxe collection coming out this week. I will get them posted for you all to see in the next few days. Watch for our hats on Larry's Country diner on Cable RFTD. Reminds me of the old He Haw show we did for many years with Buck Owens.

 We are working on a lot of Great Cowboy designs for some new ads in conjunction with a very large clothing company for 2012. Our hats are all over the J L Powell USA catalog.
 
 
                                                   Happy Trails From Montana  
 
                                                            Ritch  R.

Letter for YOU!

Dear Rand hat friends.

Fall is here and we now look forward to the NFR, our new hats, and hat bands for the show in Las Vegas. (Dec. 1st - 10th). I just returned from Denver Market and we are excited for a great fall and winter. Our dealers are very excited about the new Rancho Deluxe hats. Rands will have samples and pictures from the saddle club collection coming soon to our blog and face book.

We are stocking many colors and styles for Christmas at Black Bear Trading Company in Telluride Colorado.

The ranch at Rock Creek has a new store and a lot of Rand's hats for the guests. Look up Guest Ranch on the internet as it is over the top. You can really get away in style. We started working with them a year ago and they now have had a great season and lots of chances to abuse the Hats at the Ranch.

I was asked to do an interview on t.v. the other day and for those who don't know there ARE two 4's on your alarm clock. I needed to be at the Studio by 5:45 AM. I live 35 miles from town. It turned out good for the hat shop and I appreciate our customers who want to know more about the hat making process. I still have a great passion for this business.

I am going to Cody, Wyoming one day this next week to see Seidel's Saddlery. Keith, the owner, works with the Buffalo Bill Museum in producing a special piece of art work in leather every year. Keith and Lisa also own and run a beautiful Store in Downtown Cody, if you ever go, it is right next to the Famous Irma hotel. This is where Buffalo Bill Cody always Stayed.  

We are starting a sampling process at Beth West in Clear View, Washington. Don't worry; it is just a neat western store in and close to Seattle. Lance the owner has a passion for Hats. www.bethwest.net.  Watch for the Rand hats there soon.  We are now designing some new hats for this store. We let Lance pick and help design as well. I will be in Seattle for a few days and the end of this month. My son Ben and I will get to catch up as he lives there. He grew up in the hat business and is a man who can really give a hat the test in the outdoors. 

Rand's is having a lot of trouble with the fine fur felt this year. It seems to have gone way up in price, but down in quality. Our prices to the customer have changed very little. Our hand selected sweatbands made from the best leather we can get, is thru the roof. We are very selective and it is a narrow field to choose from. That is if you don't want the parts of your hat made and imported from a country you cannot pronounce. 

Everybody needs to go to Barnes and Nobel and ask for the Montana Magazine. There are some great things to see and do in Montana, and of course, a new article about our love of the hat business.    

Also read and see our newest hat in the September issue of JLPowell magazine.   www.JLPowellusa.com  this is a wonderful catalog for the Sporting life. Call them and ask for a catalog or look them up. You will be amazed at the quality of goods. I bought a sweatshirt from them the other day and the packaging was worth the order.

Watch for the new Schaefer Ranch Wear catalog for October. They have a lot of outdoor and cowboy gear.  www.schaeferranchwear.com    Rick and Lynn Grant are the owners and you can call or write them and get any answers you might have about their clothing and gear. By the way all MADE IN THE USA. 

One question that is always asked is, “can you get color swatches from us”. YES, YES and YES

Call or write us for your choices and questions. Monday thru Friday 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM  Mountain time in the USA. 

Watch for our new interactive ad in the cowboy way.  

Happy Trials for now! My dog (Annie) is chasing the Wild turkeys and the horses need to be fed.

Be sure to write us with your comments and pictures. 

Happy Birthday to our good friend Josh.... 
 
          
 
                                               From the Ranch in Montana   
                                                       Thanks   Ritch 

Quick customer letter

Thank you for taking care of my request to have my hat resized and delivered
by the end of October. Your customer service has been the best, and I
appreciate it so much. 


If you can, I would like a catalog sent with the hat.
I plan to order another one of your hats soon. 


Thank you again


 Masato