Blue-Byrd’s Haberdashery & Music, at 297 Wall, opened in 1992 in the Rondout before moving to Uptown in 2005. Owners John Blue and Maureen Byrd were looking to open a family business, and since Blue was unable to find decent hats in the area—he’d always worn one, first growing up on a farm, and then in college to attract the girls—they decided on the haberdashery. Besides pork pies, fedoras, and stingy brims—perennial favorites–they also sell leather caps from the Australia Outback, summer panama hats, and handcrafted hats from Nigeria. Prices range from $25 to $51, with higher-end fur felts priced from $150 to $190.
The store also sells walking sticks–“a tribute to Dr. John,” Blue said—harmonicas, calendars, suspenders, performer’s shirts (including Charlie Sheen bowling shirts), and of course, blues CDs. While the Internet has led to a decline in those sales, Blue said his resources and knowledge of the genre give him an edge over the Web. “I have a catalog of probably 1,500 different blues artists and collections,” he said. “I’m a special order guy who can get you what you want as long as it’s still in print, or used.” He’s also starting to stock vinyl recordings for collectors. Not surprising, the store’s clientele includes a number of noteworthy musicians, “We are still the neighborhood music shop people grew up with, “said Blue.
Blue, who has a full-time job with the New York State Office for Children and Family Services, is in the store on Saturdays. He credits his wife, Maureen Byrd, who presides during the week, with running the business. Blue also steams, cleans, and reblocks hats as a side line. The store is open Tuesday through Friday from 11:30 to 5:30 and on Saturday from 11 to 5.
