Cowboy Up
Hey, buckaroo. You notice everybody’s wearing Stetson cowboy hats lately? Yeah, I got one too. Yippee-yi-o-ki-yay, tumblin’ tumblin’ tumbleweeds.
Stetson is a heritage brand, made in the USA. The company got rolling in 1865 in Philadelphia. Now it’s headquartered in Texas and is still family owned. By the end of 2024, their sales passed $300 million, up from $200 million in 2021. 2025 is looking even better. Stetson claims young hipsters ages 25–34 are its biggest customers. To them, the name represents authenticity. Beyoncé also gave the brand a boost with her country-influenced album Cowboy Carter. She even wore a Stetson to the Grammys.
Country music is also booming. And shows like Yellowstone and Landman have helped create even more Stetson fans. Stetson has even designed an Airstream trailer going for $169,900. According to The Wall Street Journal, from New York to Chicago to Portland, bars are riding a country music boom, and line dancing is hot as hell. In Boston, Ward Hayden and his band, the Outliers, will—for the 17th year—play their Hank Williams tribute show at the Lizard Lounge on New Year’s Day.
Hank Williams died on New Year’s Day in the back of a Cadillac at age 29. I wonder if Tony Ravosa knows that.
All I gotta say is, ride ’em, cowboys, into ’26. Happy New Year and keep your dukes up.
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