MILWAUKEE — She can easily be described as a pillar of the community.
Mabel Hawkins-West has been greeting customers at Hawkins Hats and Things on 49th and Fond du Lac for over three decades. I had an opportunity to talk with her about how hats have been something close to her heart.
"My grandmother used to use this quote, When you put on a hat, it's like doing frosting on a cake. If you don't have a hat on, you're not fully dressed," said Hawkins-West.
She moved to Milwaukee in 1959 from Darling, Mississippi when she was just a junior in high school. After graduating from North Division High School, she got married and eventually started her own business.
"I opened up a beauty salon, I went to school, and one lady at work told me, why don't you sell hats in the salon? And I did! That started Hawkins, Hats, and Things," she said.
She opened up the hat shop IN 1991, next to the salon. All while working as a machine operator at Briggs and Stratton.
"Working at Briggs, getting off at 3'o o'clock, come in here at the shop, made it about 4'o o'clock, and I used to stay open til 8 'o'clock. After that, I go home, eat, go to bed."
Mrs. Hawkins-West retired from Briggs and Stratton in 1997 after 30 years and devoted all her time to Hawkins Hats and Things. Now she says, it's time to hang it up.
"It was an easy decision after 31 years, [at] 81 years old. So it was easy," said Hawkins-West.
TMJ4's Andrea Williams asked, "What has been the response of all the people who have been coming here for decades?"
She replied "They were disappointed, wondering where are we going to find our church hats, church suits? Makes me sad, because they are disappointed," said Hawkins-West.
One thing Mrs. Hawkins-West will never retire from is being a Mom. She's got three children and she's the caretaker for her oldest, daughter Lisa.
"I've been taking care of her in my home for 21 years. She's totally paralyzed and has lupus. She had nine strokes," she explained.
With all of her jobs, Ms. Hawkins has shown loyalty and commitment, and through it all, considers Milwaukee home.
"Times have changed, people change, the weather changes, but I love Milwaukee," said Hawkins-West.
As she prepares to close the doors of Hawkins Hats and Things in the fall, she wants her clientele to remember one thing.
"When you walk through those doors, I always try to have a smile. When a person comes in, you don't know exactly where they are, what's going on, but just a smile will let them know you care," she said.
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