Stormy Kromer Owner Talks Entrepreneurship At Michigan Tech

In 2001, Bob Jacquart heard news that Stormy Kromer caps were to cease production. A phone call and a month later, Jaquart Fabric Products brought Stormy Kromer Mercantile to the U.P.

Bob Jacquart has a long history in entrepreneurship and he visited Michigan Tech to share that experience with students.

Jacquart said, “If I wanted people to leave with anything really important, it would be: we are from the Upper Peninsula and this is not a small place far away from everything. It’s a great place. And we can do great things, like they’re doing on the campus of Michigan Tech here. And I want everyone to know that leaves this building today that they can go off and conquer the world and maybe even conquer the world from here.”

Jacquart says people visit his hometown of Ironwood specifically to take a tour of the Stormy Kromer factory. He adds that his family, who work with him, like the thought of bringing people to the U.P. through their business.

Jacquart said, “When the hat leaves the Upper Peninsula, on our heads when we go somewhere, it’s kind of a binder back to the Upper Peninsula; back to this place where we came from. I think there’s a lot of people that would love to make a living and live in the Upper Peninsula like we get to do. And so, it’s kind of our symbol of ‘Yep! We can do it and we’re going back to the U.P. Soon.’”