ROCKFORD, Mich. — Taste of Home has just named the "Best Hidden Gem Restaurant" in Michigan. And it will likely come as no surprise to Rockford natives.
Herman's Boys Inc., located on Northland Drive, is known for their delicious meals and treats, great service and longstanding legacy in the Rockford community.
They offer something for everyone, with five shops packed into one location: A coffee roastery, bakery and deli, candy and fudge shop, a kitchen gadget shop, and an outdoor cooking and smokehouse shop.
“It’s pretty cool, especially since we didn’t even know we were in the running for such an honor. They must’ve snuck in incognito!" said Jeffrey Havemeier, President of Herman Boys Inc.
"It is a reaffirmation of our philosophy of fresh, made-to-order food at a reasonable price that we have always strived for almost 45 years now! From baked goods, to smoked meats to our fresh roasted coffee we work hard to do it right," he said.
It was a goal the little slice of culinary paradise never set out to achieve.
Floyd Havemeier's teenage sons needed jobs. That’s why the owner says he opened his deli and coffee shop in 1979.
“My sons were complaining about what was available for a high school student to make money, usually washing dishes,” recalls Havemeier to 13 ON YOUR SIDE during an interview for their 40th anniversary. “I said we will open a little store. From that, it evolved.”
The deli was originally in downtown Rockford, and was called The Melting Pot. For legal reasons, they had to give up the name and find something else to call the store.
“Growing up in a little town in Minnesota, they would see me on the street, and they would say ‘Oh you are Herman’s boy, aren't you?’" Floyd said. “They always related me to my father. We decided that would be the name.”
The deli started with a menu of just sliced and smoked meats, cheese, baked goods, and something new to Grand Rapids — bagels.
“They weren't really popular here,” remembers Floyd's oldest son, Jeffrey. "If you told him you didn't like a bagel he wasn't going to let you go until you at least tried one.”
“I would give out samples,” Floyd said in 2019. “I would put a little cheese spread on it. Now the boys sell 600 dozen a week. Maybe more.”
Herman’s Boy got into coffee roasting in 1982 when they acquired the Grand Rapids-based Coffee Ranch. They moved their store from downtown Rockford to their current location, a bigger building on the outskirts of town, but they say their business philosophy has never changed.
Herman's Boy is open every day during the week from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. They have shorter hours on Saturdays and Sundays. View their full hours and menu here.
Locals say it's the perfect daily meeting spot for a hearty breakfast and a steaming cup of coffee.
See the best hidden gem in every state on Taste of Home here.
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