Bellissimo to Subsidize a Hat For Every Shliach at Kinus

By COLlive reporter

The Bellissimo brand is a household name for many Lubavitchers. Their centrally located store in the heart of Crown Heights and excellent quality and customer service have made them an ideal choice for anyone looking to buy a classy, affordable hat.

But it wasn’t always this way. Just 5 years ago, founders Levi and Yossi Chayo were working round the clock to get their fledgling new business off the ground. The two brothers, born and bred in Crown Heights, had just launched their innovative idea to make quality hats at an affordable price, and attracting customers was turning out to be quite a challenge. People were accustomed to shopping at brands they were familiar with and few were willing to put their trust in the young entrepreneurs.

With the annual Kinnus Hashluchim approaching, the Chayos arranged to host a booth at the Kinus resource fair where vendors can display new and innovative products that can be useful for Shluchim. The response they received from the Shluchim was astounding. Shluchim expressed their admiration and encouragement for the new business and told them how happy they were to support their fellow Lubavitchers in their new endeavor. Soon, long lines were forming as word quickly spread about the two young Lubavitchers and their hat business. The Chayos sold more hats that day than they had ever done before and it set the tone for the future successes that were to come.

Even as Bellissimo expanded to become an online business with customers from all over the world, the Chayos never forgot the support the Shluchim had given them in their early days. As this year’s Kinus approached they began thinking of a way to give back. But how? A discounted rate would seem like just another sale and a free hat for every Shliach would cost over a million dollars; an impossible undertaking. So, after consulting members of the Kinus board and prominent Lubavitcher donors, they hit on an idea: To offer their premium, top-of-the-line hat ($270 value) to every Shliach for a mere hundred dollars. To be sure, that amount would still require a large monetary donation from them, as it would not cover the costs of production and shipping from their factories in Italy, but it would make the project a viable one.

With shipping routes backed up since Covid and countless other obstacles, it seemed at times that the idea, with all its good intentions, would never get off the ground. But, with strong encouragement especially from the Kinus coordinator Rabbi Shneur Nejar, they persevered and the pieces eventually fell into place.

Bellisimo is happy to announce that every Shliach coming to the Kinnus Hashluchim will receive a unique coupon upon registration that will qualify them to receive Bellisimo’s premier hat for just one hundred dollars at the Bellisimo store on Kingston Avenue. Additional staff will be on hand to ensure that things move smoothly. Shluchim are encouraged to head to the store at their earliest convenience to avoid long lines.

“We are excited to provide this opportunity to the Shluchim,” said Levi and Yossi. “It feels good to give back to those who supported us during our humble beginnings. We look forward to personally meeting and servicing all the Shluchim and wish them the best of luck in their Shlichus.”