#48: Jake Hounshell - From $750 in Vintage Hats to Shells Vintage

Jake Hounshell is the founder of Shells Vintage Hat Co., a Charlotte-based business selling vintage sports hats and original, ’90s-inspired designs. A Raleigh native and University of South Carolina graduate, Jake started buying hats to resell with $750 of graduation money in 2019. He later created his own State Snaps and city designs, leaving his sales job in 2021 to run the business full-time.I’ve followed Jake’s work since college, so it was fun to finally hear how it all came together. We talk about developing an eye for vintage, learning to manufacture his own designs, and getting hats into the hands of professional athletes. Subscribe to Longfire for more stories worth gathering around.Show linksWatch Longfire on YouTubeListen on Apple PodcastsListen on SpotifyFollow Longfire on InstagramGuest linksUse code SHOUTOUTSHELLS21 for 15% off your first order at Shells Vintage.Shop Shells Vintage Hat Co.Follow Shells Vintage on InstagramFollow Shells Vintage on FacebookChapters00:00 A Hundred Hats and One He’ll Never Sell07:16 Starting Shells Vintage with $75011:07 State Snaps and the Leap to Full-Time16:08 Learning Design and Manufacturing from Scratch18:19 Expensive Mistakes with Ads and Inventory20:05 Warehousing, a First Hire, and a Cash Crunch22:35 What Makes a Vintage Hat Worth Buying25:22 A Day Running Shells Vintage27:37 Getting His Hats onto Professional Athletes30:26 New Designs and What Comes Next34:25 The Mystery of Oxford, Ohio36:26 Where to Find Shells Vintage