The Source |Lids Debuts New Concept Store – Lids Hat Drop – In Fashion and Culture Hub of Queens

Leading sports and headwear retailer Lids has supplied the most diverse assortment of headwear – including fitted caps – for the last 30 years. Its contribution and importance are one of many staples in Hip-Hop. Following the brand’s successful launch of LidsHatDrop.com last year, which releases a run of exclusive and limited-edition collection hats every Friday afternoon, the go-to headwear destination has taken the concept to a new brick-and-motor location in Queens.

Every Friday at 11 a.m., customers at the Jamaica Avenue location will get early access to exclusive and limited-edition drops. ET, an hour before they go on sale to the general public at Noon ET on LidsHatDrop.com.

“After visiting Jamaica, Queens in 2021, it was clear that the location was ideal for our first brick & mortar Lids Hat Drop concept store,” said Britten Maughan, President of Lids. ”The area is known by headwear enthusiasts as the hat mecca of the U.S., so the location allows Lids to lean into hat culture while continuing to drive trends through our exclusive releases. We’ve seen huge success with LidsHatDrop.com but Lids is a brick & mortar retailer at its core, and this concept is yet another step in our strategy to lead the conversation and become even more ingrained in the hat community.”

“Lids Hat Drop was born from us listening to the community,” said Alexandra Mason, Vice President of Portfolio Marketing for Ames Watson, the private equity holding company that owns and operates Lids. “You can always buy a hat online, but you can’t replace that in-person connection. That’s why the brick and mortar is so important and why it means so much to us to have opened it in Queens. People are there not just because they want to buy hats. They also want to talk about their favorite styles and their favorite new collections, so it’s almost like a little community center for hat enthusiasts.”

LHD Queens will carry exclusive Ebbets Field Flannels (EFF) products. Since 1988, EFF has told the untold stories of baseball history through American-made, vintage, and authentic sportswear.

“Ebbets Field Flannels has a huge New York fan base but there was nowhere in the city where you can buy that product in person, said Mason. “It’s a perfect fit for the Lids Hat Drop store because we want the shopping experience to be distinctly different from other Lids locations so that customers are seeing something new when they walk into the store.”

EFF has already been donned by stars like LeBron James and spotted in films like 42 and A League of Their Own. LHD Queens will now exclusively feature their hats and sweaters.

Lids Hat Drop will have private label adjustable and fitted hats, along with recent Lids collaborations like Marvel and Playboy. The store will also include Custom Zones, allowing consumers to customize their headwear with various designs. 

The store is located at 168-05 Jamaica Ave in Queens, NY.

In addition to to the first brick & mortar, Lids Hat Drop, Lids has opened its collegiate-focused store, Lids University, highlighting the transformation the brand holds in the retail space.

Lids also recently celebrated National Hat Day (Jan. 15), which closely aligned with hat community initiatives like the Ultimate Hat Collector competition, honoring the collectors with the most impressive hat collections. As the group has grown into something genuinely unique, the competition has brought together cap collectors from across state boundaries and international borders. Omar Heras, the 2022 winner, has built a collection of over 800 hats over the past 18 years and even has a Lids tattoo, demonstrating the important role the retailer has had in the lives of residents in this community.

This week, Lids has released the exclusive Heroes vs. Villains collection. 32 MLB models are divided into two colorways and will be available this Friday only at lidshatdrop.com.

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