New Era Hats

Giving Fans What They Want

Not many people would lend their siblings $1,000, let alone expect a return. But after Rose Koch did that for her brother Ehrhardt in 1920, it’s safe to assume she was pleased with how things turned out. A skilled tradesman, the German immigrant founded a hat company and began manufacturing newsboy or Gatsby-style caps near Buffalo, N.Y. 

But sometimes it takes a fresh perspective to guide things in a new direction, and that happened twice with New Era. The first was when Koch’s son Harold joined him in the business in 1932. The younger Koch noticed demand shifting from page-boy caps to baseball. Two years later, the family company had secured the rights to produce hats for Cleveland’s major-league team.

The second shift truly touched off a new era for the company and sportswear in general. In 1979, company president David Koch had begun fielding phone calls from fans wanting to buy the caps they saw their favorite major leaguers wearing on the field. Koch was confused by why fans would want to wear something that had, to that point, only been part of a uniform. 

Koch’s wife, Val, who was also the company’s art director, convinced him to place an ad in The Sporting News. Bags of mail poured in ordering team caps, and the company was off and growing again.

Today, you’ll find New Era hats on the heads of not only pro athletes, but pop culture icons as well. The phenomenon has gone global, and it’s easy to see that New Era is no longer just a hat maker. It’s a brand. And it helps you present your own brand, your own look, and style.

Find New Era at Foot Locker

You’ll find two of New Era’s most prevalent styles at Foot Locker. The 59Fifty, most easily known by its flat brim, is available in both fitted and snapback. It’s easy to wear on lock, on tilt, or however you like.  

The 9Forty is instantly recognizable by its curved brim, and also is adjustable.

Both styles, and others, feature a prominent team logo front and center, along with small team markings either on the side or—on adjustable models—on the adjustment strap.

More than just team representation, it’s about you, too. While you’ll find plenty of options in official team colors, you’ll find some in fresh non-traditional colors as well. 

So you can cap off your look with a little pop.