New Tennyson Street Whiskey Bar and Custom Hat Shop Opening Soon

In recent years, several chains such as Call Your Mother, the Salty Donut and Two Hands have opened on rapidly changing Tennyson Street. But independentsare still finding spots in the neighborhood, too.

Eloise, a sandwich-centric stop from the owner of Good Bread and Lula Rose, debuted last week. And on December 9, it was announced that a new, locally-owned watering hole is set to debut at 3965 Tennyson Street on January 9 — just in time for Stock Show season. American Lore by Parker Thomas is a saloon-inspired Western whiskey bar that comes from two familiar brands: Hats by Parker Thomas and Number Thirty Eight.

Patrick Thomas Orms, co-founder of Hats by Parker, is a third-generation hat shaper who was born and raised in Colorado and played safety for the University of Colorado football team. After graduating, he played in Milan and was inspired by that city’s fashion scene. When he returned to Colorado, he fell in love with the idea of carrying on his family’s legacy while accompanying his father to the National Western Stock Show. He put in time to learn the craft before launching his own brand four years ago and opening his first brick-and-mortar in Cherry Creek in 2023.

Today, his hats are a popular purchase for pro athletes such as Bo Nix, Aaron Gordon and Evan Engram. “Our family has always believed that getting fitted for a custom hat-shaping goes beyond just an ordinary transaction,” Orms says. “These hats are statement pieces and are representative of a greater extension of your identity. You immediately become part of this special culture.”

The new Berkeley spot will not only be a retail location, but a neighborhood bar. “I first connected with the Number Thirty Eight team when they invited me out for a hat pop-up during their Bison Days event a few years ago,” Orms recalls. “We eventually got to talking about how our love of whiskey and Western wear closely align, and how combining the two would provide a more holistic experience for customers.”

Number Thirty Eight has been a RiNo staple since its 2020 debut, and the company also owns a historic building on Whiskey Row in Louisville, Kentucky, that was once home to distillers like W.L. Weller and Pappy Van Winkle. It brings a passion for whiskey to the project and plans to offer a menu based on “the notion that no one likes expensive beer or cheap whiskey,” according to an announcement of the partnership. Expect a “no-frills cocktail menu” that includes go-tos like an Old-Fashioned, an espresso martini, a gin and tonic, and Number Thirty Eight’s Rodeo Lemonade, along with $4 beers served in frosty mugs and free bar snacks.

Since the store opens at the same time as the bar, guests inspired to go hat shopping can drop in or make an appointment for a 30-minute hat-shaping session, which includes the selection of a style and color, plus custom finishing touches such as feathers, bands, pins and brandings.

When it opens on January 9, American Lore will offer hat-shaping sessions during daytime retail hours, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday, while the bar will be open from 10 a.m. to midnight Tuesday through Sunday. For more information, visit americanlore.co.