New Era Cap Company began operations in Buffalo back in 1920. While they don’t manufacture their famous hats in the region anymore, New Era is still headquartered in Buffalo and is celebrating a major milestone. Their 59FIFTY hat line is now over 70 years old, with the city of Buffalo proclaiming today “59FIFTY Day.”
Their hats have become an industry standard over its 70-plus years. New Era Historian Jim Wannemacher said the hat become a common thread that helps fans identify with their favorite players, regardless of team.
"That authentic baseball cap became that icon the kids kind of aspired to be," said Wannemacher. "You know, you wanted to be your favorite baseball player, football player, basketball player, and they always want to wear the exact same thing that they are wearing. And that authenticity that we gained by dealing with these leagues gave us that ground to then push it into the next level."
Wannemacher said the 59FIFTY's popularity and evolution far exceed expectations from when he started back in the day ...
"When I started here, I just thought it would be a baseball cap company, and what could we do with that?" he said. "But just to see how, because of that customization, it allows everybody to be their own individual and to show showcase their look and feel and the flag they wave, and that's why our logo is a flag."
New Era amped up the customization today with hats personalized by local artists, or where visitors could create their own.
