Business had been in the Herman family for 50 years
After 50 years, Herman’s Marshall Hardware, Inc. in downtown Marshall will officially change owners July 1 as Paul Herman and his wife Sharla have sold the family-owned business to Mark Walker and his wife Lori Zettell. The business will now be known as Marshall Hardware.
Paul and Elizabeth Herman first purchased Mitchell Hardware at 213 E. Michigan Avenue in 1971 across from the Marshall Post Office. In 1975, they bought John Meyers’ hardware store at 139 W. Michigan Avenue, which at that time had been in operation since 1951.
The business expanded to 135 W. Michigan Avenue in 2007, adding on the “annex,” with Herman’s Marshall Hardware taking up three storefronts.
“It was one of the best things I ever did,” said Paul Herman, the founder’s son, on adding the annex.
Legend has it that Henry Ford was driving through town in 1909 when his car broke down. Ford stopped for repairs at Udell Farm Implements which had occupied 137-139 State Street (today’s Michigan Avenue) since 1887. There has been a farm machinery or hardware store at this location almost since these buildings were constructed around the end of the Civil War.
Herman said the timing was right to sell the business and retire but emphasized that his was his parents who made the store an institution in Marshall.
“My mom and dad took a chance on 1971, and without them, we wouldn’t be here,” he said.
Herman said selling the business and retiring is “bittersweet.”
“it’s been an incredible journey,” said Herman, who took over the operations of the store in 1982. “I came back home, took over and have been here ever since…I give thanks to the good Lord, my wonderful wife Sharla and family – kids James, Paul, Jake and Sarah. They’ve been incredible and couldn’t have done it without their support.”
Herman said the store was only as good as it was thanks to the great staff.
“Jake was with me for about eight years and Dave Miltenberger has been here for 15 years,” said Herman. “I could not have done it with out them. And I couldn’t have done it without the support of the community through the years.”
Herman noted that the business is “really an old-fashioned hardware store.”
“The whole key to our success here was the very diverse inventory ,” he said. “We got everything. We prided ourselves on being professionals and knowing what we’re talking about. And Mark and Lori are planning on keeping all my employees on, so customers can expect the same great service.”
Herman said he always was “on top of things,” to make sure he had the items and inventory when inclement weather hit, especially in winter.
“You have to order these things six months in advance to get it,” said Herman. “We made sure we were open during those times. I’d get calls at home from people saying they were out of power and needed a generator. I’d say ‘sure, meet me at the store.’ You don’t get that at a big box store.”
Over the decades, Herman was invested in the youth of Marshall. He and Sharla ran the junior football program for several years, and he was also a part of Rich Hulkow’s coaching staff when the Marshall High School football team won the state championship in 2009, with son Jake on the team.
“Herman’s Marshall Hardware has been supportive of many programs and organizations,” he said. “We love this community. Marshall is a special place.”
Herman said contributing to the success of Marshall with a strong downtown business is something he said he is proud of.
“This has been an anchor store over the years downtown with Hemmingsen, Schuler’s Restaurants and Louie’s Bakery,” he said. “Then you have all the other businesses downtown. Marshall has been fortunate to have a retail downtown all these years. I just hope they never get away from that.”
“We went through all the background to see if this was really something we want to do, should do, could do,” said Walker, who noted there are plans to renovate the upper floors of the buildings sometime in the future.
Walker and his wife own a couple other businesses downtown including the Outside the Box Wellness Café.
“This is the first time we are buying a business where everything is already set up,” said Zettell. “We are excited about being able to carry on a Marshall tradition.”
Herman, who will be 65 in August, said he is looking forward to retirement, but again stressed the bittersweet feelings he has been experiencing.
“It’s been a hell of a ride,” said Herman. “I have no regrets.”