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The Hat Man: 17,000 hats and counting

Posted at 11:48 PM, Oct 28, 2015
and last updated 2015-10-29 09:36:13-04

NEWAYGO, Mich. - John Deuling, otherwise known as, 'The Hat Man,' has collected more than 17,000 hats, now he's looking to break the world record.

Nestled in the countryside of Newaygo County, Deuling showcases thousands of hats in a garage he likes to call
"Hat Haven."

Some he bought himself, but most of them were given to him by different schools, dentists, and hospitals. Deuling's headwear has been piling up for the last 20 years, not just from West Michigan but from all over the world.

"I really enjoy doing this and it got to be an obsession," said Deuling.

Now John hopes to break the Guinness World Record by collecting three thousand more hats. His current collection takes about 35 pounds of nails, flaunting all 17,000 caps on the ceilings and walls. He even built extra shelves to make room for his newest additions. Unopened boxes filled with hats can also be seen spread throughout his garage.

"I keep myself busy, I've been retired now going on three years and I just love it," said Deuling. "Something just snapped and that's what I want to do."