As UW-Madison students return from winter break and become accustomed to walking to classes in sub-zero temperatures, they may find themselves in need of a winter hat. The owners and employees at The Sacred Feather, 417 State St., may have the answer to these freezing students' prayers.
According to store owner Tony Badame, The Sacred Feather began its business Oct. 13, 1975.
\Originally, we started as a craft store and [we] had only a few hats to sell,"" Badame said.
Now, The Sacred Feather specializes mostly in hats as well as leather goods.
""We have a pretty big range of hats, from baseball caps to collapsible top hats to costume hats to regular dress hats. Of course, we also carry seasonal hats,"" Badame said.
According to Charlie Rogers, the employee who refers to himself as ""the guy that's been here the longest,"" the store received its name from the first people to ever wear hats. These people could either wear a sacred feather, an asp or a fig leaf in their hats. After writing down each of these names, the owners decided that ""the sacred feather"" looked the best on paper.
Additionally, the sacred feather was a symbol of bravery to the American Indian, Badame said.
When the business began, Badame had a partner named Paul Henry. After five years, Henry left The Sacred Feather to work elsewhere.
After the initial decision to start the business, Badame and Henry had to choose a location, which is one of the most important things in retail.
""At first, we didn't really know where we wanted to locate. Later, we could tell [State St.] was the most desirable location,"" Badame said.
Jessie Fenno, a UW-Madison junior, has been working at The Sacred Feather since February 2002.
""Working [at The Sacred Feather] is really laid-back. The owners are nice and willing to do anything for their customers. Also, you get to know everyone that works here really well,"" Fenno said.
According to Fenno, all kinds of people shop at The Sacred Feather.
""It's mostly students and regulars [who shop at The Sacred Feather]. Some families and older people also come to look at the variety of hats we sell,"" Fenno said.
The Sacred Feather is currently open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
More information can be obtained from the business' Web site at .
