Aretha Franklin's Inaugural Hat Designer, Mr Song. ------------ Friday April 24th at noon, the Berkeley Hat Company, at 2510 Telegraph Avenue in Berkeley, will host a public appearance by Luke Song, the milliner whose hat Aretha Franklin, the “Queen of Soul”, wore at President Obama’s inauguration. The big bowed, jewel-studded inaugural hat Ms. Franklin wore as she sang “My Country, Tis of Thee” created an instant sensation and orders have been flowing into Mr. Song’s Millinery in Detroit ever since. Luke Song, 36, says that Ms Franklin, a longtime customer, came to him wanting something to go with a grey coat she was wearing to the inaugural. “She had in mind what she wanted.” The heather-gray hat in wool felt, with Swarovski Crystal on the bow will soon appear at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington D.C. Song specializes in bold, statement making church hats and most of his customers are African-American women. Song will not make an exact duplicate of Aretha Franklin’s hat, but he is selling a near replica for $179. Thousands have been sold all around the country and even overseas. The media attention to Aretha Franklin’s inaugural hat has breathed “new life” into the the hat as a fashion statement, Song said. According to Carol Lipnick, co-owner with her husband Ed Dougherty of the Berkeley Hat Company, headwear sales have been steadily increasing as younger people find hats an ideal way to create a distinct fashion statement, and as everyone has found that hats are the best way to block the Sun’s cancer causing UV rays. The largest seasonal demand for women’s church hats for both Mr. Song’s Millinery and Berkeley Hat Company is from Easter through Mother’s Day. Ms. Lipnick said that this year she has seen a sustained increase in women’s hats since the inauguration. The Berkeley Hat Company, located on Telegraph Avenue near Dwight Way for 29 years, is the largest hat store in the Bay Area with hundreds of styles and brands in stock. Berkeley Hat is an eight year customer of Mr. Song’s Millinery. “Luke’s visit to the store will allow his loyal Bay Area customers to meet him—and will give them the opportunity to tell him what they want for new styles and materials,” Ms. Lipnick said. Come on by. Contact: Berkeley Hat Company 510 549-2955--------- ------------------ www.mrsongmillinery.com Aretha Franklin's Hat arfrhat Link to: SF Chronicle Article about The Visit The largest complete hat store in California, The Berkeley Hat Company has been located at 2510 Telegraph Avenue, Berkeley, California 94704, 4 blocks from UC Berkeley for 30 years. Open Mon-Thurs 10:30-6:00, Fri-Sat 10:30-6:30 Sun 12-5:30. SHIPPING AND HANDLING COST ON ORDERS ON THIS SITE FOR ANY QUANTITY IS $6.88 FOR THE FIRST ITEM AND $1.66 EACH FOR EVERY ITEM THEREAFTER. Shipping time in TRANSIT is usually THREE DAYS OR LESS days and includes Saturday delivery. Express Mail is $26.34 plus $3.88 each additional item. Canadian Priority Mail is $19.66 plus $1.88 for each additional item. We ship six days a week-everyday including Saturday but not Sunday. Most orders shipped within two or three days, but usually the same or next day. Regular orders are sent U.S Postal Service Priority Mail. Small items may be sent First Class Mail. Larger orders may be shipped UPS and could take longer than 3 days. If your're worried about availabily or shipping time, call us at 510 962-4428 during business hours. Items without an "Order" button on the order page are usually sold out, but you can call to make sure. For any questions about item availability, please feel free to call us at 510 549-2955. Returns and exchanges should be sent within 10 days of receipt of order. The same shipping charges pertain on exchanges as on original order. Thank you for shopping Berkeley Hat Company, the Hat Store on Yahoo. Hat Orders will usually be shipped same or next day and should arrive within 2 to 3 days after date of shipping. Check www.USPS.com for the Priority Mail delivery date to your zip code from ours(94704). Call us to verify. Remember, the Post Office delivers on Saturday. USPS Express Mail is guaranteed to arrive by the Post Office in 1 day in most areas and 2 days in the rest. Check www.USPS.com for your delivery date from our zip code(94704). Phone Orders and inquiries welcome 10:30-5:00 P.M. Pacific Standard Time. Our Phone Number is 510 962-4428. MASTERCARD - VISA - AMERICAN EXPRESS - DISCOVER - PAYPAL Feel free to contact us at hatstore@sbcglobal.net or (510) 962-4428