Customers walk into M Krowns to hear owner Miguel Sauceda greet them with one of his two signature shoutouts. 

It could be a “What’s up everyone?”

Then there’s his hearty ‘C’mon!’”

Customers of the custom hat shop enjoy seeing Sauceda don a cowhide apron he bought at the Fort Worth Stockyards. It protects his shirts while he’s steaming and delighting his customers at his Edinburg shop. Sauceda’s trail began in Sullivan City, where he was born and raised. He got a job at the Boot Barn in McAllen in 2017.

“I would work at rodeos, selling clothing, boots and hats,” he said.

A Future Takes Shape

It was at the San Antonio Rodeo where Sauceda met Dustin Foster, a master felt and straw-hat shaper who lives in Fort Worth. 

“I was seeing the art behind it and thought, ‘I want to learn that! That craft looks really nice,’” he said. 

Gregarious by nature, Sauceda asked Foster to teach him.

“The first question he asked was, ‘How many brands do you know?’” Sauceda said. “I only knew three. That night, I didn’t sleep.

“I started to study how a hat is made, where it’s made, the materials, everything,” he said. “After that, I took off.” 

The rodeo in San Antonio lasted two weeks and Foster patiently taught his dedicated student the art of hat shaping. Sauceda began practicing his new craft at the Boot Barn upon returning to the Rio Grande Valley. 

“Little by little, people started relying on my work,” Sauceda said. “Customers began requesting me.”

Setting Up Shop

Sauceda cut a new trail in 2022.

He left the Boot Barn and moved to Houston to work in the refineries. It was also the year he married his wife, Karen. The couple would eventually return to the Valley for a visit. They went to the Mercado District, which is an indoor market in McAllen, and Karen had a question and observation during that shopping and dining visit.

“Do you remember that time we talked about the hats?” Karen asked her husband. “We can put a hat shop in here.”

The couple pitched the idea, and the decision makers at the Mercado District loved it, deciding to make a special spot for Sauceda and giving him time to prepare.

“I was still working in the plant (in Houston) and calling hat companies,” Sauceda said. “I got denied by three companies.”

One company – PROHATS – said yes. Sauceda worked quickly with PROHATS owner Bubba Nevarez to get his supply line going. The first step was to move back to the Valley in early 2023. Sauceda’s father built him a table for his steamer with M Krowns getting started in a garage from home. Sauceda continued preparing for his move to the Mercado District in April 2023. 

M Krowns would do well from the start at the indoor market on north 23rd Street in McAllen. It would be just a start for “Mr. and Mrs. M Krowns,” as Sauceda likes to refer to himself and his wife. They would come to the realization that it was time to hit the trails again and open their own shop. 

The new M Krowns opened May 30 on south Sugar Road, just north of Trenton. The west wall of the shop features painted hills, cacti and a rising (or setting) sun. Near the top of the scene are the words from Jeremiah 29:11, which speaks of God having a plan for each person. After prayer and reflection, Sauceda believes the Sugar Road location is where his business was meant to be. 

Important Accessory

At M Krowns, Sauceda reshapes and cuts the brim of felt hats to meet the wishes of his customers.

He also cleans, brands and replaces the leather inside straw hats. Customers can bring their hats in or purchase new hats at M Krowns and have them customized. Their hats are 100 percent hand creased. Sauceda has worked his magic on the hats of Intocable, a popular Tejano and Norteño music group.

 “It was awesome!” he said of working on the hats of Intocable band members. 

M Krowns currently carries four brands: Bailey, Rodeo King, Serratelli and, of course, PROHATS. He is searching for one more brand to round out his mix.

“We specialize in only the hat,” Sauceda said. “It’s a very important accessory that people wear for weddings, ranching or just on a daily basis. With us, it’s the interaction with our customers. Our work speaks for itself.” 

C’mon!

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