Meet Alberto Hernandez of Meshika in Venice/Mar Vista

Today we’d like to introduce you to Alberto Hernandez.

Alberto, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I am a third-generation hat maker. I immigrated from Mexico and I started working for a hat shop in Burbank on an internship when I first arrived 15 years ago. There I loved the process of how they were making their hats. For me, it was fascinating seeing, or making, a new hat and then learning that customers would actually pay more to have the hat made to look vintage. That was the spark that all started it. So then I started making hats while being much more inclusive of that information. I would take everyday hats and make them look more stylish, fun, and cool by adding a vintage flair. It took me so many years to perfect the recipe to a place where I was proud of it.

And with that, it took me a long, long time to build a client base that was filled with celebrities and other fantastic people who have been nothing but supportive and encouraging of my work. Growing a community of customers who love my hats has lead me to building my own business and brand to deliver the best possible hats I can. The most important thing to me is to keep the legacy of hand making hats alive and try and bring it to a new high.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
No, it has not been a smooth road, that is for sure. And struggles? The real struggle is figuring out how to run your own business. You learn from them and you keep pushing. I think the biggest struggle for me has been building a team that reciprocates my trust and passion. I love hat making and I want to do it till the day I die. In starting my own business I had to curate a team that demonstrated that passion. Who were the people that I would want to be around, and would bring a comfortable, safe, and loyal environment to our workspace? My team has gotten bigger since we started and I am very happy with them all. They are passionate, caring, interesting, kind, dedicated, and trusting friends and colleagues. I feel very lucky and fortunate to have found them along my way because it takes a good team to find any success. The road to building a business has been filled with struggle, but I am so fortunate to have a team of people that helps me tackle anything that might arise.

Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Meshika – what should we know?
Our business, Meshika, makes hand made hats in Venice, California. Our specialty is custom hats – hats built to the customer. We are experts at hand making hats for our customers that do their personality and style justice. Custom tailoring the hats to whatever vision, theme, or style they may present us. I think we’re most proud of our work. We have a real pride for what we do, and nothing validates our pride like the smile our customers can’t hide when they first put on their hat. We make the best hats around, and that’s a fact. We’re proud to offer exceptional hats unlike anything you’ve seen before. What sets us apart from the others is our heart and the passion we put into our hats. We’re a family at Meshika. When you come into our store and you feel the passion and energy we have for the art, you’ll see just how intoxicating it can be. Our customers love our hats, but more importantly they love us. They know that we approach their hats with genuine love and sincerity because we want to bring them joy and welcome them into our Meshika family. We love our customers and treat them all as they deserve to be treated, with respect and admiration.

Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
The vibe we bring. We’re kind and passionate. You can’t fake that and I think our customers know when they step in our shop that we are sincere in our goal and drive.

Pricing:

• Custom Straw Hat – $450
• Custom Rabbit Hat – $650
• Custom Beaver Hat – $850

Contact Info:

• Address: 12228 Venice Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90066
• Website: Meshika.com
• Email: tribe@meshika.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meshikahats/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Meshikahats/

Image Credit:
Nathan Dumlao

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