“This is what we envisioned. We are happy to be in Ottawa.”
— Manish Patel, owner of Herman's Liquor N Wine
When the doors at Herman’s Liquor N Wine opened early Wednesday, it was to welcome customers to the new building at the same Ottawa location, just behind the structure that has housed the business since the 1970s.
“It’s beautiful. I think my dad and brother would be really proud of what Manish has done,” former owner Jim Ferrero said of Manish Patel, who bought the business in April 2019. “It’s a real welcome addition, and I hope the public appreciates the investment in our community.”
The Ferrero family opened the liquor store in 1944 at 915 Clinton St. before moving to 504 W. Main St. in 1978. At the time, Ferrero said, it was the most modern liquor store in the area with the largest cooler, but after 40 years, “it got tired.”
Patel said the new building doubled the size of the former space and is equipped with modern, energy-efficient technology and appliances.
“It’s all positive reactions,” Patel said of customer feedback. “The offering keeps expanding as we go.”
Later this spring, a full-service bar featuring an outdoor patio and gaming is slated to open in the southeast corner of the building. It will provide space for various tastings, such as wine and whiskey. The store also features a walk-in humidor.
Last week, Bob Armstrong of Ottawa retired from Herman’s. He started working at the Clinton Street location in 1960, just out of high school. Armstrong stopped by the new space Wednesday morning to take a look and chat with Ferrero and Patel.
When Armstrong began working, Ferrero said the store had a water-filled cooler. A bucket would catch the excess water, and Armstrong was tasked with emptying the bucket in the alley daily.
“I’d go in and drink a couple cans of beer,” Ferrero, who was in high school at the time, said with a chuckle. “When he tossed the water out in the alley, a few empty cans may have rolled out of the bucket. He never ratted me out.”
The grand opening for the new store is slated for May 14 or 15, once the previous building is razed and the parking lot is completed. Herman’s is open Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
“This is what we envisioned,” Patel said as he looked around the new store. “We are happy to be in Ottawa.”