“Provide a good hat at a decent price, and back it up with good service.” This philosophy has guided The David Morgan Company for over forty years. The good hat is the Akubra, an Australian hat maker since 1874 and an Australian icon.
David and his wife, Dorothy, started selling Akubras in the early 1960s. Their first wholesale hat went to Eddie Bauer who used it for a national print advertising campaign.
From the beginning, the partnership between David Morgan and Akubra has flourished. Both companies are, at the core, family run businesses. Several generations of the Keir family have run Akubra, while David and Dorothy are now passing the business on to their son, Will and daughter, Barbara. Family run businesses have both the advantage of continuity and a stronger relationship with customers.
Forty years in the business also means adaptability. Because of customer demand, the Imperial Quality Akubras are shipped with chin strap hooks. And each hat comes with a lining, also unlike their Australian counterparts. As early as 1996 the company realized the importance of the Internet and created an online presence. And, to accompany the latest Indiana Jones film, David Morgan acquired “The Adventurer”.
Will is confident that Akubras will supply more of the American market in the upcoming years. Despite the changes, the family philosophy of providing a good hat at a good price and backing it up with good service, will never change.
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