We bought a Burns cowboy hat for my wife from Burns' (now closed) Carmel, CA shop. We took the hat with us on a western driving tour that included Utah. My wife suggested we take a short detour to take the hat to Burns Saddlery in Salina, UT. She hoped to get it steamed into the shape she really wanted (she had a picture). The shop was small, but impressive, they have high quality goods, and prices to match (think value, not price).
The longtime employee brought up from the saddle shops below to help us looked like he was a cowboy from central casting. He'd been there forever, and knew how to do work on anything the shop produced. He had the skills to fulfill the request. He told us why the shaping request was complicated, but doable, and patiently worked my wife's hat over the steam for over 20 minutes to get it just right. He was kind, modest, and very attentive to the task at hand. And he got it just right. We were very happy with the result. He refused our tip, and when we insisted, he suggested that we tip the (less experienced) staffer who had met us when we walked in (and watched him work with us).
We still think back on our visit to Burns, and what a pleasure it was to watch real craftsmen work. (If you visit, make sure to take a look at the saddles and other leather work they are working on that day in their shop.) They are very talented, and their products are beautiful. My wife loves that hat. read more
