909 Houston Street
Fort Worth, Texas
A two-story commercial building constructed in 1917 near Sundance Square in downtown Fort Worth (once known as Hell's Half Acre). The second floor features rectangular window bays above the storefronts and a decorative brick parapet. Two large neon signs are mounted on the building. In addition to Peters Bros. Hats, another business occupies the other half of the ground floor.
Peters Bros. was founded in 1911 by Greek immigrants Jim and Tom Peters. They originally shined shoes in Waco, Texas, but in 1917 they decided to move to Fort Worth and open a shoe-shine parlor near the hat company's current location. In addition to working with shoes, the brothers had a talent for restoring hats, so in 1921 they expanded their business to include this service and moved into the present building, where the company still operates.
Interestingly, during World War II and through the end of the Korean War, hats for the U.S. military were made on the building's upper floor.
As for the ghost or ghosts said to haunt this place, one is believed to be Tom Peters, who died in 1991 at over a hundred years old. When Jim died in 1933, he left enough insurance money for Tom to purchase the building for $15,000. Jim is now said to move hats around for fun.
Peters Bros. Hats took over the space formerly occupied by Eli's Pizza Shop, and it is believed that the ghost of a dishwasher named Jack Martin, who worked there for ten years before his death, may also haunt the premises. After his funeral, strange things began to happen, such as doors opening and closing on their own without explanation. Former employees also reported hearing moaning sounds coming from the basement.
Whatever the case may be, at Peters Bros. Hats you can still find a good hat, perhaps an interesting story, or even a presence from the other side.
