Henry Dickerson and Ali Nervis first met at a “Rebranding the Black Man” event hosted by Our Black Fathers Committee in Phoenix, Arizona in 2015. Dickerson was there as a vendor while Nervis attended seeking opportunities to connect with his community. A sales transaction turned bonding experience led to a shared common interest focused on giving back.
Now as business partners, the two entrepreneurs are bringing the success of their classic hat business, Straw & Wool Hat Company to Los Angeles with the grand opening of its flagship store which was held on June 8 at 5593 W. Pico Blvd.
Guests that attended the launch had the opportunity to meet the founders, learn about the company’s journey, tour the new space, and preview Straw & Wool’s latest hat collections.
Founded in 2020, the Straw and Wool Hat Company gained national recognition during ESPN’s Champion Black Businesses initiative and has seen remarkable growth since due to their commitment to craftsmanship, community engagement, and celebrating Black culture, solidifying their status as one of the nation’s fastest growing brands.
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Both co-founders have a background in men’s accessories then made the conscious decision for Mid-City to be the location for its second store desiring to connect to the center of west coast fashion.
Dickerson and his wife have frequented Los Angeles for years often stopping by My 2 Cents restaurant to dine. After noticing a vacancy in its plaza, Dickerson jumped at a chance to be neighbors amongst other respected businesses. “We love the area. It’s walkable. There are a lot of great Black-owned businesses in the area, so we figured we’d fit right in,” he told the LA Sentinel. Back in Phoenix, Dickerson and Nervis built a Black business marketplace through incubator programs.
“Having a love for the people and culture of Los Angeles, we just took the opportunity to just try it and figure it out, which is really how we’ve grown this brand from the beginning,” said Nervis who is dedicated to tapping in with other area business leaders and community members.
“So far we’ve had a couple celebrities that rock with the brand. We’re excited especially for people who value what we do and what we bring to the hat world,” he added. “Cultural influence is a big part of what we do and really drives a lot of the products that we create as part of our brand.”
Straw & Wool holds space to deliver the best shopping experience by providing a variety of quality headwear and accessories to its new customers knowing that its distinctive hats create a sense of pride. Its ORI Collection is a nod to Yoruba culture. Ori, a Yoruba word meaning “head,” refers to one’s spiritual intuition and destiny. Ori by Straw & Wool describes the special collection as a reflective spark of human consciousness embedded into the human essence with the believe that if one has a balanced character, one obtains an alignment with one’s Ori or higher self.
“In that collection, we have hats named the Geechee, the Gullah and the Tremé to pay homage to our history here on this land,” explained Dickerson who hopes the descriptors will inspire customers to research the origin of its namesake. It’s 1OAK (One Of A Kind) line, commissions artists to craft hand-stitch and designed pieces based on themes such as “the D9” or white-party while also carrying 10 other brands in-house.
Both Dickerson and Nervis bring their own unique personality, skills and talent as the company’s co-founders and work diligently to make Straw & Wool the go to for classic style with an updated twist.
