🤠 Episode 12 – KJ Murphy | The Hatmaker of Segundo Street 🤠
Chopping It Up with Keith Saarloos · Released September 18, 2025 · Santa Ynez Valley, California
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About this conversation
In this episode of Chopping It Up, I sit down with KJ Murphy—the man behind the hats on Segundo Street in Santa Ynez. KJ doesn’t just sell hats, he crafts heirlooms. We talk about how a cabinetmaker’s hands found their way into felt and fire, turning a hobby into a craft that’s now part of the Valley’s fabric.
We dive into the language of hats: X-ratings, beaver vs. rabbit blends, cattleman’s creases, flat brims, and the regional stories each shape carries. From working hats tossed in the back of a truck to the kind of heirloom piece you wear to a wedding, KJ explains why a real hat is as personal as your boots or your knife.
And then we head into the rodeo. KJ shares how a conversation in a parking lot grew into the Santa Ynez Valley Rodeo—thousands of people under a big sky, the Cowboy Channel on the jumbotron, 805 in hand, and local kids competing alongside world-class riders. It’s proof you can build new traditions without losing old ones.
This one’s about more than hats—it’s about roots, rodeos, and the pride of building something that lasts long enough to carry a story. If you’ve ever thought, “Maybe I’m a hat person,” this is your sign.
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Saarloos + Sons archive horse and rider. Context photograph; not a portrait of the guest or a photograph of this recording.
