Hat News and Specialty Market has been serving Medicine Hat for more than 40 years and despite recent changes in store design and inventory, still offers patrons all the basic necessities along with the unique extras it's always been well known for.--NEWS PHOTO KENDALL KING
kking@medicinehatnews.com
Big changes have taken place at Hat News and Specialty Market throughout the past year, as co-owners Ryan Weiland and Kirby Eresman worked to reconfigure the store’s interior – giving it more of a market-feel – and introduced new products, such as gluten free snacks, vegetarian meal kits, locally-made frozen dinners and baked goods, locally-crafted glassware, plants and more.
“We’ve been here for so many years,” Weiland told the News. “We’ve always been that stop for people, but now I just really want to offer more options.”
While many traditional convenience store products can still be found at Hat News, such as potato chips, slushies, newspapers and cigarettes, customers can know find fresh potted orchids grown in Canada, specialty vapes, handmade ice cream and Weiland’s own farm-raised meats.
“We still carry all the products we did before, so we’ve just incorporated some newer things,” said Weiland.
The revamp is an effort to meet changing market demands and a personal interest on Weiland and Eresman’s parts to introduce something new and inviting for the community.
“Hat News has always been different. We kind of pride ourselves on that,” Eresman said. “This rebrand was about how do we stay different and relevant.”
Hat News was once known for its wide variety of flavoured tobacco, cigars and vapes, however Weiland and Eresman say the rise of vape shops and dispensaries made the product more widely available and drew customers away.
“What made us different is kind of not as different anymore,” said Eresman.
The COVID-19 pandemic complicated business further by disrupting and causing backlogs in global supply chains.
Weiland began thinking of ways to avoid such issues and took inspiration from other small community stores in cities like Calgary.
“It’s about saving our local convenience stores,” he said.
Weiland designed the store around his own likes, stocking shelves with products he believes to be quality at an affordable price.
“It’s all the things I like to eat,” said Weiland. “Seventy-five per cent of it I’ve tried before I brought in, which makes a big difference … If it doesn’t taste good to me, I just don’t sell it.”
As he walks through the store Weiland points out some of his favourite products including Hal’s New York Kettle Chips, Redcliff Bakery bars, gemstones and fresh cut flowers.
Eresman agrees the changes are reflective of modern consumer desires.
“Just because it’s a convenience store, doesn’t mean it has to be typical convenience store stuff,” he said. “It’s a leap (but) people love it. They come into the store and (say) ‘Wow! It looks so good in here.'”
Weiland is also pleased by the reaction he’s received from patrons.
“When I was here last week … a regular said, ‘I could buy a couple more packs of cigarettes when I come, but I don’t. I buy one pack. I walk here every day (and) I just look at the plants because they make me feel better and then I walk home.’ Those are the things that I really am liking about this change. (Customers) can come in and they can find something that’s cheerful for them at a decent price,” said Weiland. “It’s little things like that which mean a lot.”
As Weiland and Eresman continue to add the finishing touches to the store, they hope Hatters will stop by.
“I want everybody to be able to enjoy it,” said Weiland. “It doesn’t matter what age you are, there’s something for everybody, so … it’s something people should check out.”
