Community Business: Nine Lions Panama Hats | Williamsburg Yorktown Daily

WILLIAMSBURG — Nay Leon always loved straw hats, and after arriving in Williamsburg for an international internship opportunity, she began the process of launching Nine Lions Panama Hats.

“I’m from Guayaquil, Ecuador. I’m a toquilla straw hat lover, mistakenly known but world-famous as the Panama Hat. It’s one of the top export products worldwide including the USA. Since I was in high school, I have loved Ecuadorian crafts,” she explained.

“Then, at university, I did some marketing plans for different categories with my classmates contributing innovative ideas for the hometown market. After I graduated, I put off the ideas for multiple reasons,” Leon adds. “Williamsburg has been my second international internship and I noticed the business opportunity in this strategic place and their population. When I moved after a few years here and studied my master’s degree in Marketing and Business, I felt that it was the time to start to make it real.”

Nine Lions opened its doors in June. The business sells straw hats that are true to Ecuadorian style. All the hats are handmade in Ecuador and are made of 100% toquilla straw.

According to Leon, her customer base is primarily found at golf clubs and wineries.

“Style is not the same as fashion. To have style, you don’t need to be fashionable or wear trends. I find this target in strategic places like golf resorts, wineries, etc,” Leon says.

While Leon does not have a brick-and-mortar storefront, she takes orders through her Instagram account. Since opening in June, Leon says that her customer base has been extremely supportive of her business venture.

“I love to have a good relationship with my customers, I do all my best to satisfy their needs and see them happy,” Leon said.

Leon participates in various events around Williamsburg as a vendor and notes that Williamsburg is slowly becoming one of her favorite places.

“I always said to my mom when I become a young adult I would like to live in a quiet and safe place. Williamsburg is not just this, it is even better with the architecture that I love,” Leon said.

Overall, Leon hopes to bring some Ecuadorian tradition to Williamsburg.

“My mission is to promote distinction and elegance through high-quality sustainable hats that preserve and honor traditional art by creating awareness and recognition of the traditional Panama Hat as the original creation of Ecuadorian hats,” Leon said.

To learn more or to place an order, visit Nine Lions Panama Hats on Instagram.

Community Business is a feature series that showcases locally-owned business establishments in the Historic Triangle. If you would like to submit a business to be featured, please send an email to [email protected].

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