Because Stormy Kromer is family owned and operated, we have a personal stake in making sure that our products are well made, our employees are well treated, and that our company reflects our values of authenticity, quality and integrity.
Stormy Kromer is based in Ironwood, Michigan and headed by the Jacquart family — Bob and Denise, and daughters Gina and KJ. We have strong roots in Ironwood. In fact, several of our ancestors were among the pioneers who settled the town. We’ve opened and grown businesses here since the early 1900s. We guess you can say it’s in our blood.
Our cut-and-sew manufacturing can be traced back to 1958, when Bob’s dad, Robert R. Jacquart, began making bank deposit bags in his home basement under the name Jacquart Manufacturing. In 1970, Bob joined his dad, and in 1983, he bought the company, changed the name, and transitioned it from a small custom cut and sew operation to a more formal production shop.
Building the company was a true family endeavor. As kids, KJ and Gina spent Saturday mornings at the shop helping customers and making change. Denise served as bookkeeper – and came up with the original idea for the best-selling Petal Pusher cap. Bob Sr. even stayed on part time until he was 92 years old.
During the 80s, we made everything from fleece hats, gun cases and machine covers to custom upholstery and boat covers. In 1988 we began making private label pet beds, which helped our company grow faster and further. And in 1994 we moved to our current location, eventually expanding from 17,000 square feet to multiple buildings occupying 90,000 square feet. Today we still make a wide variety of items, from industrial covers to kids’ playset canopies, under the banner of Jacquart Fabric Products.
A watershed moment came in 2001 when Jacquart Fabric Products purchased Stormy Kromer. When we got word that production of the legendary Kromer cap would soon cease, Bob sprang into action. Just three months after his first phone call to Milwaukee, home of Stormy Kromer since 1919, we relaunched the brand from our factory in Ironwood. Bob says it’s the best business decision he’s ever made.
Today, KJ is the Purchasing Director and Gina is CEO. Bob Jacquart still serves as Chairman, walking the shop floor, leading most of our factory tours, and planning for the future. Together we continue to grow and evolve the company we love, and prepare for the future.