There’s nothing quite like taking a long stroll in downtown Saratoga and letting your thoughts wander. Most thoughts are nuisances (Did I take the garbage out? I still need to schedule that meeting), but once in a while, a good one will come along. This was the case for Delmar-native-turned-Saratoga-dweller and hat collector Patrick Campion, who, as he was walking downtown last summer, had the idea to encapsulate the spirit of Saratoga in trucker and baseball-style hats.

After checking to make sure his desired business name wasn’t already taken, and with encouragement from his family (especially his mom, Kathy, who passed away in 2024 from pancreatic cancer), Saratoga Hat Company was born. “Brainstorming began from there,” Campion says. 

Letting his creative side flow (he’s a data analyst contractor for the government by day), Campion began to make initial sketches. “I turned the hand sketches into first drafts using Canva, and then I found some great graphic designers to work with that brought the ideas to life.” It’s a system Campion continues to use, one month into the official launch of his business.

And he doesn’t sketch just anything: “I want to create hats that not only celebrate Saratoga’s horse racing culture, but all of its history, nature, music and arts scene, and overall vibe,” he says.

After eight months of brainstorming, drawing, and collaborating with designers, the final piece of the puzzle was finding a hat wholesaler that allowed him to customize the style, structure, and color scheme of the hats. Once he had that, he was able to merge his designs with “a variety of style options that can appeal to all potential buyers.”

Shop the Spa City-inspired hats at Crafters Gallery on Broadway, or check them out online. Campion will also be selling hats at various pop-ups and markets this summer. Stay tuned for new designs and color schemes.