To this day, Richardson Sports and their high quality products, especially Richardson sports hats, have a loyal following. They are a staple in the custom hat industry, and many of their fans are everyday honest people, the same kind of people you’d have a drink with at your local bar.
This didn’t happen by accident, either. Since its founding in 1970, Richardson Sports has built its brand as a family owned and operated business and has had some very interesting encounters along the way.
The Early Impact of Richardson Caps in Baseball
When Richardson Sports was first founded in 1970, their primary focus was really more on sporting goods, specifically baseball. They had little idea how much value this would provide in terms of building a loyal customer base in the future.
In the 1970s, baseball was still a favorite American pastime, and kids all over the United States were playing sandlot ball. If you were playing baseball at this time, chances are you had some Richardson gear. They make gloves, baseballs, uniforms and hats, and they have gear all over the continental United States. This was very important to the success of Richardson Sports and especially the future of the Richardson Caps.
Kids in the 1970′s and 80′s loved the look, fit and feel of the Richardson baseball cap so much that it was subconsciously associated with all the great memories they had from their childhood on the diamond. Like the smell of your favorite food your mom made for you after a day of playing ball, or the smell of the soap you used as a kid, Richardson caps evoke the nostalgia in the wearer that accompanied the long-term success of Richardson Sports with the decline of the baseball market and the tremendous rise of the new industry.
Richardson hats in the great boom of the 90s
In the early 1990′s, the penny hat and bowler hat became absolutely popular. New influences in pop culture such as hip-hop and skateboarding revolutionized the typical closet of the 90s, reinventing it into street style. Perms went out of style and snapbacks and baseball caps became popular.
Unfortunately for Richardson Sports, their initial business model of focusing primarily on baseball no longer works. While football has almost cemented itself as America’s new favorite pastime, baseball has clearly continued its downward spiral. richardson sports is in big trouble and is in dire need of a major company restructuring.
So, given the current surge in popularity of hats, Richardson decided to enter the unknown but fast-growing headwear industry. Richardson had been selling hats for years, but they were by no means professionals focused on baseball gear. This was a significant and relatively risky shift for the company, but it proved to pay rich dividends.
The Richardson baseball cap, produced in the 1990s, reminded consumers of their youth and the simpler days of playing baseball with old friends. It evoked nostalgia, a sentiment that led many consumers to decide to purchase Richardson hats. Richardson Sports began to grow exponentially and truly became a giant in the headwear industry.
The appeal of Richardson hats to the average person
One of the most appealing aspects of Richardson Sports is that it is still family owned and operated. Even in a market filled with intimidatingly large companies like Nike and Adidias, Richardson still stays true to their roots. It’s much easier for the average person to trust someone who has been there and consistently delivering a quality product since the company’s inception than it is to trust a group of suits sitting around a round table.
People understand every day that family-owned and operated businesses are committed not only to customer service and catering to customers, but also to providing consistency. They really care about product quality and customer service, not just sales and profit margins.
If you love Richardson Caps as much as we do and would like some custom designs, be sure to contact capempire for an exclusive gallery of selections. We have extensive experience producing Richardson caps, including the Richardson 112 Trucker Snapback, and we’ll also give you great deals on a variety of exclusive limited edition colors and camouflage and best-selling items.