La Rubia Panama Hats

My girlfriend and I visited there this morning after I had done some extensive research about the shops on Duval. After finding out about this shop through various articles and reading reviews, I knew with the authenticity of the hats and professionalism of the owner that I had to get myself a hat. Immediately she greeted us and was very kind to inform us about the history of the hats, and how to take care of them. She insisted on helping me find a suitable hat for my head and showed me a variety of different styles. There currently is a summer sale going on for a couple of her hats that are also beautiful. Overall, it was a great experience hearing about the hats and the history of them, and being able to try them on. I highly recommend that anyone coming to Key West visits this lovely place and gets themselves a stylish hat!

I like to buy hats but I usually don’t wear them, but the Panama Hat did its job, it was breathable and the air flowed through the top, my head did not get hot even though it was a bit of a toaster today. I did take the hat off and put it back on a few times to readjust the position, and so far I really like the hat. Just wore it on a whole day outside today. The style also looks very nice too. Excellent service in store and we tried on quite a few hats to find our style and size. Recommended. Thanks again!

Let me start off by saying if you are seriously not looking to buy a high quality hat or cannot control yourself or your children this is not the place for you. My visit started with Stephanie stating if you would like to try something on please let me assist you, which I was fine with. Then she began to speak of her hats, where and how they are made. I knew they were expensive so I asked the price range (just so I knew if I needed to continue shopping) she said anywhere from $100.00 up. I been in many high quality hat stores in many different cities and I was fine with the price she quoted. Stephanie had great knowledge selection and high quality I was looking for, and walked out with this gem. The only place in the Keys I would recommend purchasing a Panama hat. Well done Stephanie, Thank you. Billy T.

Truly 1st class VIP experience! Please don’t get this place confused with a tourist trap hat shop. These are not mass produced Chinese tour hats. These are really nice handmade hats. I’ve been waiting to find a place I could trust with picking up a nice hat. This is a must stop shop !! Highly recommend! We are going back tomorrow to get a my a hat too !!! Even the Hemingway cats liked the em !!

Stephanie was very helpful and made finding the right hat for my girl a cinch. Hats are top quality! We will be back for another next time. I would respectfully state that if the boxes don't come with the hat, something akin to an old Dobbs box with a Panama hat/Island feel would be much more desirable to a cardboard shipping box for a whopping $25. The cotton soft bag that came with the had was quite nice though. Great hats at a fair price, with great service. I strongly recommend!

I was very excited to find a great looking hat on my annual vacation. While to cost of the hat was higher then most straw hats ($260.00) I was happy with the purchase. Sadly that did not last after 6 hours of wearing the hat the brim of the hat started to separate. Because of the cost of the hat I returned to the store to ask for assistance with repairing it, things went down hill quickly. The owner of the store advised that she could do nothing and the hat falling apart was my fault? After 6 hours? She had zero solutions but was very insulting and only after I advised her I would make my feeling known in a review she offered to return the money. It is awful that she did not offer that solution upfront instead of the insulting behavior. She is clearly more concerned with herself than her customers. These hats look beautiful however they may have quality issues so take that into account before you buy as you may be spending a lot of money for an inferior product and you will receive no assistance from the store owner.

Well what can I say this place is a staple of Key West and Duvall street for unique Panama hats. I try to make it a point to go here every time I’m here. I love their hats. I love their unique origin. Do yourself a favor and if you want a hat for you, go there. I’m four hats in and and can’t wait next time I’m down there to get another.

Hat snobs and people who want to be treated like toddlers in a glass figurine store. This is the place for you! They care more about the slightest possibility of their precious hat damage than making their customers feel welcome enough to actually buy something.

Excellent, quality hats. Lots of unique and modern options so that you can find your perfect match(es). We ended up with four beautiful hats of all colors. Go with the flow and be respectful of the shop rules and you'll be fine.

Door has a sign saying "open" or "with a client", or something close! But even when we were being help tourists randomly walked in. She takes time to explain the history of panama hats and help you find a hat your size. Which I is where the sign is handy, it's a small space and so many hats inside that it's not easy to move things around yourself. Hence the signs to ask for help. We walked away with two hats each around $160 and I thought that was a great deal for such quality hats!

I travel to Key West 2-3 times a year. I've been in this store approx 4-5 times and have bought 3 hats (photo for proof of purchase). Yes they are very high quality hats and the owner is very knowledgeable and passionate. However also yes, she is pushy and pretty judgmental. I understand having one person in the store, it is small and I think actually started during covid. The problem is that since then, the owner has increasingly hovered over us when we shopped. I DO NOT like being the sole focus of a sales person (def makes me less likely to buy). And aside from that, I know what I like. I know my look. So let me look. And yes I want to touch.... the hats I've bought have averaged around $300 each. The shop is located on a major side street in a tourist town. What does she expect? We are currently in Key West and visited the shop today. I def felt like we were intruding on the owner as she kept on repeating she "wasn't ready" with some of the hats. I saw the the "don't touch" signs and was very respectful, but the lady wouldn't even let me scan with my eyes. She kept commanding and diverting my attention to whatever she wanted me to see. My fiancé and I felt like such an intrusion we walked out. From my perspective, shopping at this higher end shop has just gotten stressful.

If your looking for an authentic Panama Hat and your on Key West this is your place. Super customer service and a great selection too boot. My wife were in KW on a quick get away last week and I purchased a hat while we were there. The owner answered all my questions and helped me find the perfect fit/size and look I was looking for. Unfortunately on the way home the TSA crushed my hat while going thru the scanning process. Obviously I was very upset with TSA, all they said was "oh well, sorry". The hat has big dents and worse creases in both the crown and brim. Once I got home I emailed LaRubia for some advice on removing the dents and creases. The owner responded very quickly and offered me advice on fixing the damage, it worked! Next time I'm in KW I'm going back and pickup an additional hat or two!

With a special hat everyone is different and need this special place will help you individually. After purchasing my first hat I felt like I could not pass up another. After trying on numerous ones again. One of the owners Stephanie pointed me to a very unique one of a kind hat that I just could not be without. The quality and workmanship of these hand woven hats are one of a kind and cannot be found anywhere else on the island. Do yourself a favor and visit you will not be disappointed.

This hat store is totally a disappointment! I bought this hat for $210 , I wore one day , and the edge is falling apart on the second day ! I tried to contact Stephanie , instead of helping , she just keep telling me it is not her responsibility, she is a person that as long as she gets the money , she doesn't give a shit anymore . Her store not only has bad quality hats , high price , but also have rude customer service! Oh , just see your reply ! I have to add my answer here : Your hats are really low quality , after I wore it one day , it started to fall apart , you insist on telling me it because I tugged it too hard ! I make myself very clear that I didn't tugged it at all , I was just simply hold it !!!! Who will tug their new hat till it's ruined ???? Only because this hat has bad quality , the high price you charged not worth it . My husband and I traveled everywhere in the world , we bought many hats , none of them are like yours . And also , i made my self very clear that if it is my mistake to accidentally ruin this hat , I won't bother you . But it is not . All the store has 7 days refund , 14 days exchange as long as the tag is on , but when you meet the problems , you just blame your customer, and don't offer any help !

I was looking for an authentic Panama hat. I discovered this interesting little hat shop in the heart of Key West. It was near closing time when I stopped by but the shop keeper unlocked the door for me. Inside I found a treasure trove of authentic Panama hats. The owner took the time to let me try on several different styles until I found the one I liked. I can honestly say that I am very happy with my purchase. The quality is excellent and it fits perfectly. She even gave me a special hat bag to keep my hat safely stored. A pleasant experience. I will come back when I need another hat.

Beautiful handcrafted Panama hats! I wasn't planning on buying a hat, I just went there with our group of four and we all ended up with great hats! The salesperson Stephanie was very helpful and knowledgeable. She said we could wear them throughout our trip and she would ship them for us when we were heading home. They have a great variety for women and men. I think these are the nicest hats in town! I have to add to my review. On the last day of our trip we stopped by to have Stephanie ship our hats home. She noticed our rental car had a flat tire. We stayed parked in front of their shop for a while talking to the rental car company trying to figure out what to do. Stephanie's husband was so nice to take one of us to the hardware store and back to buy some "fix a flat". He delayed one of his photography clients for us. We were so thankful for their generosity.

We wanted a quality Panama Hat and we went to the right place for great selection. The owner was as nice and helpful as she could be. First hat in 63 years that fit. Highly recommend coming here. We will return!

The owner only works with one customer at a time so you get a lot of attention and advice from the owner.

Absolutely phenomenal selection! The owner was very patient and helpful... She will fit you with a hat that makes you feel like $1M. A true statement piece! If you love wearing hats - you absolutely should go here.

Beautiful hand woven hats, excellent staff helped us all find our perfect hat! These hats are high quality, from Equador, authentic Panama hats.

This small shop offers a wide assortment of high quality hats from Ecuador at very fair prices. A wonderful addition to old town Key West shopping! And for the non-hat wearers, this shop also has an array of fun fashion accessories that also make great gifts.

excellent customer service, authentic Ecuadorian hats, and downright beautiful products. you get a personalized experience with a custom fit. love, love, love this place!

We were very poorly treated by the lady that I suspect is the owner. She kept looking with a disgusted face and saying things that suggested we weren't able to afford her products. Maybe she was judging us because we were talking between us in our language, Portuguese. We are Brazilians. Maybe she is just racist. Anyway, avoid this place. Bad vibes.

I needed a new hat like I needed a hole in the head (which if I had, I would need a hat to cover). Still, I bought an incredibly beautiful, one-of-a-kind hat and I'm having it shipped home. I was happy to chat with the owner, Stephanie. Stop in and try a few on, learn about the art of hat making in Ecuador, buy a pack of beautiful cards (which supports local artists). Win win.

Beautiful, quality, authentic hand-woven hats. really nice selection Too! My husband's hat freyed after a few wears & they replaced it promptly with a new one. These are not drugstore products - they're legit!

My husband and I were visiting Key West for our 28th anniversary and were on the hunt for a traditional 'Panama Hat'. Some of the complaints and the owners hilarious responses intrigued us so we had to go and experience it for ourselves. We were greeted by Larry, the husband of the owner Stephanie and was an absolute delight. If you want a cheap hat from China to throw in your bag, move along.....this shop is not for you. If you are looking for authentic quality and style, then this is your place. La Rubia offers a variety of lovely styles and sizes for the discriminating buyer. We found Larry to be lovely and sincerely passionate about the hats they offer and I categorically refute the nasty reviews of previous posters. The shop is top notch. Larry was very knowledgeable and took his time to help us each find the right hat for us. It was a wonderful experience and we're extremely satisfied with our high-end hat purchase. If you are in the market for an authentic Panama hat, be sure to check out La Rubia. You won't be disappointed!

Might be one of the cutest store, might be her hats are amazing but when it comes to her attitude, she was totally wrong. Two young ladies very well educated and entered to the store with our own hats. I honestly have a big love for hats; any kind of and probably have more than 30 pieces. After the store owner welcomed us, she was explaining us her handmade Panama hats. My friend and i started to try one and other to find the perfect match and size obviously. All of a sudden her attitude changed. First she was telling me nervously how to wear the hat and then don't touch that, be careful, that one is very delicate...said that i put the hat back and thanked her and left....she was saying behind us "Jesus". Yes, hope Jesus may help you lady. You are rude, unkind and unfair to your customer.

What a millinery pleasure! I saw a stunning hat that pulled me into the store today. My husband saw a different hat, equally beautiful. Stephanie helped with style and fit. I couldn't decide which one to buy. We bought them both! This was our second time to her store. I believe the store in the mall may be smaller. What a find to see something beautiful and to know you are helping others in the process. We will return on our next trip and suggest you do the same!

A pleasant interesting hat shop. We found it by accident with no intentions of buying a hat. But I bought the hat that is pictured in the first review. I have been interested in purchasing an authentic Panama hat for sometime and had some knowledge of the grading system. A lot of supposedly Panama hat sellers would never tell the grade or make something up that didn't match my limited knowledge. All the hats were marked with the grade and the prices matched the grade and that I had seen on the Internet. So I trusted her. Her prices match the Internet.

I've been wearing my hat! I love it, thanks. This is a great shop for real hats. I'd prefer to support a local business who gets their stuff from an ethical source.