Emmett Shea learned to love soccer growing up in Concord. He also had a dream of starting a hat company that represented New Hampshire. Now he’s combining it all.
Shea, a college soccer player at Virginia Commonwealth University and an entrepreneur, is trying to bring the world game home.
Shea’s company, Myst Hat Co., will host a U.S. men’s national team World Cup watch party as it plays Paraguay this week. The event at The Barley House on Friday night is a ticketed event for those older than 21, and the doors will open at 7:30 p.m.
“I think for New Hampshire it’s an exciting time, too, with a bunch of games, but I think there could be more done in the community to get people excited,” Shea said.
Shea, a Brewster Academy graduate, started Myst to create hats that represented him. He wanted a hat that felt like home. Arturo McConnochie and Jacob Stazenski, both soccer players at UNH, soon joined him in the business.
They saw the world’s largest sporting event as an opportunity to showcase their brand and bring soccer fans together in Concord. Shea knows firsthand how passionate people are for the sport in the region. He wanted to give them a space to come together.
Shea met McConnochie during a soccer camp in Spain, and they later became business partners living in New Jersey for a summer soccer team. Stazenski joined as the hat company planted its roots in New Hampshire and gained popularity.
Soccer is what brought them together in the first place.
McConnochie and Shea both noted how important this international tournament is for tourism and showcasing New England to the world. They want their hats to be a symbol for people to enjoy the big and small moments.
The hats proudly represent New Hampshire with the state’s initials under the brand.
“We’re trying to build a community and really kind of show from its roots like that New Hampshire is a beautiful place and also has great people and great vibes and great energy,” McConnochie said.
Building a business hasn’t been easy. Through university and soccer commitments, the grind to build a hat company was no easy lift.
It has quickly grown since starting in 2024, and the team is about to launch its summer collection. One of its four summer hats, “Old Glory,” they think, will be a hit.
The hat celebrates America’s 250th anniversary, but could also fit right in cheering on Team USA at the World Cup. Blue brim, white — more of a cream base — and then red writing. The other three hats evoke New Hampshire imagery: blues, creams and mountains.
“I think both sides, like schooling and even just our mentality as soccer players, have all played a part in being able to lift this business up,” said McConnochie.