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That is how Glenn Campbell summarized his, and partner Scott Molander's idea for Hat World in the early 1990s. They were right. Today, Indianapolis-based Hat World, Inc. is the specialty retail leader in fashion athletic headwear.

After working as successful athletic retail store managers, Campbell and Molander decided to start their own business after identifying baseball-style caps as an undervalued niche in mall retail.

"When we spoke with shopping mall executives about how we were convinced everybody needs or can be persuaded to buy a hat, we were told that we were nuts," said Campbell. "But if a cookie shop can just sell cookies or a pretzel shop can just sell pretzels, why not hats?"

Finally, a shopping mall in Lafayette, Indiana gave Campbell and Molander their shot from which they sold more than 6,000 hats during the 1995 holiday season. With that successful holiday season behind them the duo acquired a modest private financial placement and opened five more stores their first full year.

After growing to 157 stores in five years, Hat World acquired its largest competitor, Lids Corporation, in 2001. With the purchase of Lids, Hat World grew to more than 400 stores and operated e-commerce channels hatworld.com™ and lids.com™.

In 2004, Nashville, Tennessee-based and publically traded Genesco Inc. (NYSE: GCO) acquired Hat World. The Company has continued to grow through new stores and acquisitions. Hat World's other retail acquisitions include Hat Zone in 2002, Cap Factory (2003), Canadian hat retailers Cap Connection and Head Quarters (2004), and Hat Shack (2006). In addition, in 2009 the Company acquired team uniform, apparel and equipment dealers, custom screen printers and embroidery operators Impact Sports and Great Plains Sports.

"The idea for Hat World was just that, an idea," summarized Hat World President Ken Kocher. "Our success stems from assembling a team of first-class professionals who stay on top of the wants of the consumer and put customer service first."