Beloved Herman’s Boy in Rockford is Sold! What’s Next?

It sure sounds scary that Herman's Boy in Rockford has been sold. Yikes, what could that mean? Closing or totally becoming a different place because some big company wants to remake it into is own image?

It was 1979, nearly 50-years ago that a small business was started in Rockford called The Melting Pot. It wasn't a coffee roaster, or deli, but rather a "melting pot" of items for sale, specialty cheeses, nuts and crafts.

It was just a small shop on Courtland Street in downtown Rockford, but grew and grew, and moved and moved until it is what it is today, Herman's Boy.

Floyd Havemeier and his wife Sharon started the business in '79 and kept growing and developing and changing the face of The Melting Pot to what we all know today as Herman's Boy in the old farm house. They converted it to a bustling coffee roaster, fudge maker, deli, meat smoker, and still  a sort of "melting pot" of people and knick-knacks.

They took on a lot in the beginning, but Floyd and Sharon, with the help of their boys, created a beloved spot in Rockford.

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You'll find killer deli sandwiches, which includes ABC's Good Morning America meteorologist, and Rockford native, Ginger Zee's favorite sandwich, the "bagel dog!"

Floyd and Sharon's sons Jeff and Doug Havemeier, who bought the business from Floyd 14-years ago, decided that they really wanted to slow down. The stress and demands of the business were beginning to wear on them. But, they wanted to keep the business going, so who, or what, would they sell to?

Would Herman's Boy just fade away?

Not by a long shot! Herman's Boy is here to stay, but under new ownership!

Crain's Business Grand Rapids reports "a new ownership group of two married couples: Doug Havemeier’s stepson Zach Pawloski and his wife Emily Pawloski, and her sister, Ali Burns and husband Jamie Burns."

With their love for Herman's Boy, what do they plan to do with the business now? Crain's reports:

"The new family owners don’t plan to make any drastic changes to the business, Emily Pawloski said that they are considering ways to expand Herman’s Boy in the future.

Herman’s Boy is so nostalgic for a lot of people, so it’s definitely going to be a fine line that we’re walking as we try to modernize a few things, while always coming back to the fact that it is the history and the legacy, among other things, that has made the place so special. “We will be walking that line, for sure.”

Happy news for all Herman's Boy fans, including me. I'm excited for some subtle changes and future success!