The Best Hat Store Turns 30, Chef Jenny Castor to Open a Brick-and-Mortar Restaurant, and Other Milestones from Four of Fort Worth’s Finest Female Entrepreneurs

From Mayor Mattie Parker to business leaders like Elaine Agather and M2G Ventures co-founders Jessica Miller Essl and Susan Miller, Fort Worth’s top decision-makers include a powerful group of trailblazing women. In honor of Women’s History Month, we spoke with four pioneering business owners about what fuels their entrepreneurial spirit and the women who have inspired them.

Susan Maddox, The Best Hat Store

This month, The Best Hat Store celebrates 30 years of selling hand-shaped straw and felt cowboy hats. As the name suggests, Susan Maddox founded the business with the goal of creating Fort Worth’s go-to destination for Western hatwear.

“From the beginning, we wanted to be the top destination for people to come to the stockyards,” she tells PaperCity Fort Worth. “After a lot of dedication and hard work, I think we accomplished that goal. It is truly a joy to watch people’s faces when they leave with a brand new hat, and they’re satisfied.”

The Best Hat Store has become a destination in its own right, drawing discerning shoppers flying in from California and road-trippers from across the Lone Star State. Maddox says the store attracts everyone from first-time buyers to ranchers replacing well-worn hats. The Stockyards has a strong and supportive community of women business owners who “champion and encourage” one another. Maddox says Fort Worth has been an incredible city to raise a family, adding that she is especially proud of her two adult daughters, Mercedes and Treasure.

Which women have influenced your life or inspired you along the way?

“My grandmother was a very hard worker. She was widowed at quite a young age, and she was able to raise my mom and her three sisters. I have so much admiration for Mayor Mattie Parker, who operates one of the largest cities in the United States. I admire her integrity, class, and what she’s accomplished. I had the pleasure of meeting Elaine Agather with J.P. Morgan Chase a couple of years ago. She is such a fierce, strong woman.”

Tina Howard, Leaves Bakery and Books

Before Tina Howard was locally known as the owner of Leaves Bakery and Books, she had several previous careers, including as a professional photographer, marketer for publishing companies, nonprofit board trainer, and HR professional for Texas Instruments. She says each career move was driven by an entrepreneurial spirit and a love of applying vision and strategy to complex problems.

The Near Southside bakery that she now owns and operates, she says, is one of the few local baked goods stores where everything is made from scratch.

“We’re purchasing ingredients a couple of times a week because we’re small,” she says. “We blend our own gluten-free flour and bake without using pre-made mixes. Even our frosting is made by hand. That level of preparation from scratch is rare in Fort Worth.”

Howard supports the local reading and writing community by hosting author panels, readings, and discussions about the writing process. The store is also known for carrying a wide variety of artisan teas, which are currently being refined to three options per style. In the Near Southside, she says, female business owners encourage one another and problem-solve as a team.

Which women have influenced your life or inspired you along the way?

“I am inspired by artist Katie Bryant and her creativity and willingness to show her artistic process, whether she likes the end result or not. She does really amazing work. Sarah Blakely. She’s the creator of Spanx. I love how she has shared her journey so publicly. She just lets everyone into her process. Locally, Mia Moss from Black Coffee is someone who inspires me a whole lot. She is also constantly giving back to the community.”

Brittany Cobb, Flea Style

When we caught up with Brittany Cobb, she was preparing to open her first Flea Style store in Houston. The Western-boho lifestyle boutique now has locations across North Texas — including one in Mule Alley — and shops in Kentucky and Tennessee. Having a location in the Stockyards, a district billed as the “Western Fashion Capital of the World,” felt like a natural fit for her brand.

“As the Stockyards have modernized and grown, they’ve collected great brands that bring that Western heritage and spirit,” Cobb says, adding that Fort Worth represents a “classic, iconic Western style.”

Cobb recently authored her first book, a hardcover titled How to Style a Hat: Find, Decorate, and Rock Your Dream Hat. The comprehensive guide to wearing, styling, and enjoying hats includes a foreword by Miranda Lambert and will be available Tuesday, April 21, through Abrams Books.

“It is a gorgeous coffee table book, and it’s all about helping people find the right hat with confidence,” she says. “The book covers everything from fashion to cool bits of history. I’m so excited for it to come out.”

Which women have influenced your life or inspired you along the way?

“I would definitely start with my mom. She has shaped me in so many ways. She is a lover of antiques and vintage clothing. My first editor at the Dallas Morning News, Tracy Hayes, inspired me and taught me so much about not just journalism and writing but also style. I’m a huge fan of Kelly Wearstler. She’s an interior designer. I think she breaks the mold in everything she does. I love her fearless style.”

Jenny Castor, Luckybee Kitchen

Since launching Luckybee Kitchen in 2016, Chef Jenny Castor has become a familiar name in the local food scene. When she isn’t serving guests from her food truck or delivering boutique catering services, Castor is a frequent guest at local wine pairing dinners and cooking forums. When we caught up with this busy chef, wife, and mother, she broke the news that her brick-and-mortar restaurant is slated to open just south of TCU this September.

“My husband bought a building in the Westcliff shopping area and surprised me,” she says. “He’s been pushing me to open my own restaurant, so we are currently getting the space renovated. I am so excited. The most important thing for me is to stay motivated and keep challenging myself.”

Castor says the new restaurant will be a small, boutique space that offers customized dining experiences and private events. She plans to host intimate dinners, chef collaborations, and cooking classes while keeping the operation intentionally small so she can remain hands-on with every detail. The space will also allow guests to reserve the entire restaurant for special occasions with fully curated meals and settings. The menu will be based on seasonal ingredients.

Which women have influenced your life or inspired you along the way?

“When I was younger, I had a Russian ballet instructor. She had a very big influence on me and taught me grace, confidence, and etiquette, which I still carry to this day. I would also have to say that in the cooking world, Alice Waters was very inspirational to me. My culinary school instructors would call me a little Alice Waters, so I started reading about her. One of my instructors at The Culinary School of Fort Worth was Chef Heather Kurima. She had a huge influence on me by taking lessons from life and applying them in the kitchen.”