Sharon Brooks likes hats, but not just any hat.
Brooks, owner and stylist at the Vault Variety Shop in downtown Wetumpka, hopped onto a national trend in February after noticing the social media posts of Nashville’s Alexa Wisnieski and her custom hats. A customer and stylist, Brooks already had many hats in her inventory but decided she would give the trend a try in Wetumpka. She wanted to take it a step further and create hats with even more meaning than just customization.
PHOTOS: Custom hats in downtown Wetumpka
Cliff Williams / The Herald The Vault Variety Shop has been offering custom hats since winter. Owner Sharon Brooks often finds items across her shop to include such as a belt. Other items such as feathers are found while working outside.
PHOTOS: Custom hats in downtown Wetumpka
Cliff Williams / The Herald The Vault Variety Shop owner Sharon Brooks started creating custom hats earlier this year. The store has several already created on display and available for sale.
PHOTOS: Custom hats in downtown Wetumpka
Cliff Williams / The Herald The Vault Variety Shop owner Sharon Brooks started creating custom hats earlier this year. Many of the sales of the custom hats start with ideas from the customer. Others Brooks creates with no customer in mind and places them on the shelves of her downtown Wetumpka store.
PHOTOS: Custom hats in downtown Wetumpka
Cliff Williams / The Herald Sharon Brooks gives the hats names like this “Ace of Spades.” The names often come from items used in customizing the hat or just a feeling Brooks or the customer gets in the creation process.
PHOTOS: Custom hats in downtown Wetumpka
Cliff Williams / The Herald Sharon Brooks uses a variety of techniques to created her custom hats. Some are painted, some burned, some Modge Podged or a combination of them.
PHOTOS: Custom hats in downtown Wetumpka
Cliff Williams / The Herald One thing all of the custom hats at The Vault Variety Shop have is a burlap bag. But what makes the bags unique is just like Sharon Brooks’ hats, no two are alike with the hand lettering.
PHOTOS: Custom hats in downtown Wetumpka
PHOTOS: Custom hats in downtown Wetumpka
Cliff Williams / The Herald The Vault Variety Shop has been offering custom hats since winter. Owner Sharon Brooks often finds items across her shop to include such as a belt. Other items such as feathers are found while working outside.
PHOTOS: Custom hats in downtown Wetumpka
Cliff Williams / The Herald The Vault Variety Shop owner Sharon Brooks started creating custom hats earlier this year. The store has several already created on display and available for sale.
PHOTOS: Custom hats in downtown Wetumpka
Cliff Williams / The Herald The Vault Variety Shop owner Sharon Brooks started creating custom hats earlier this year. Many of the sales of the custom hats start with ideas from the customer. Others Brooks creates with no customer in mind and places them on the shelves of her downtown Wetumpka store.
PHOTOS: Custom hats in downtown Wetumpka
Cliff Williams / The Herald Sharon Brooks gives the hats names like this “Ace of Spades.” The names often come from items used in customizing the hat or just a feeling Brooks or the customer gets in the creation process.
PHOTOS: Custom hats in downtown Wetumpka
Cliff Williams / The Herald Sharon Brooks uses a variety of techniques to created her custom hats. Some are painted, some burned, some Modge Podged or a combination of them.
PHOTOS: Custom hats in downtown Wetumpka
Cliff Williams / The Herald One thing all of the custom hats at The Vault Variety Shop have is a burlap bag. But what makes the bags unique is just like Sharon Brooks’ hats, no two are alike with the hand lettering.
