A Hat for Every Head: Casa Juliá

A hat is not just a piece of clothing. Sure, it protects you from the sun, the rain or the cold but wearing a hat is also a statement. Like a pair of glasses a headdress may underline your personality, or even give you a new one. It can make you feel more confident or bold, more mysterious or seductive. Casa Juliá not only offers the largest choice of hats in Palma, from classics to contemporary styles. The family-run store on Carrer Sindicato is also the oldest hat store on Mallorca.

In the summer there is nothing better than a straw hat. Try on a fedora, a Panama or a boater, and see how they make you feel. For the upcoming season my favorites are the woolen berets. There are plenty of different types and colors at Casa Juliá. If you are unsure about your style, Silvia Estela always loves to give advice. She and her brother Daniel are running the store in fourth generation and know everything about headgear, how to wear it and how to take good care of it. And they happily share the exciting story of Casa Juliá.

It was their great-grandfather Francesc Juliá who opened the small store in 1898. At a time when everybody wore hats there were plenty of hat shops along the street. Back then Carrer Sindicato was actually called Carrer de la Capelleria, the hatters street. But only Casa Juliá survived crises and difficult economic times. When money was scarce and sometimes eggs and chicken were accepted as currency.

Today, after 121 years, Casa Juliá is one of Palma’s most emblematic stores. Telling not only individual stories but conveying the history of traditional craftsmanship in their respective neighborhood – like Can Joan de S’Aigo, Forn del Santo Cristo and Mimbreria Vidal. It is these stores among all the ubiquitous faceless franchise shops that make Palma special. These stores, the dedication of their owners who keep them up and running, and the loyalty of their customers.