builder and general contractor. He
continues to own and operate a con-
tents restoration company, Insurance
Restoration Services, and Dry Mark, a
water removal and mold abatement
company servicing residential and
commercial properties.
The show Undercover Boss led him
to this latest opportunity.
“I’d spent the past five years look-
ing for the right franchise to retire
into and also for my family to work
for,” he explained. His stepdaughter
Rebecca is Rocket Fizz’s manager.
“Then I saw Undercover Boss one
evening, and discovered Rocket Fizz.
I thought it was such a cool, unique
concept, and we don’t have anything
like that around here.
“Growing up in Oak Park, there
was a candy and ice cream store
called Pub. All the kids loved that
store. There was also Farrell’s, a spe-
cial restaurant that served big ice
cream treats and had a candy store
you could visit at the end of your
meal.
“Those two places had a lot to do
with my decision to create some-
thing that would not only bring back
great memories for people my age,
but also create great memories for
kids.
“And the reactions we get from the
kids when they come into the store
are the best in the world,” he con-
tinued. “My younger children abso-
lutely love the store, but have a hard
time understanding why they can’t
eat anything they want — consider-
ing that we own it! They have a lot of
fun helping us stock the shelves and
unpack the candy.”
Fogarasi noted that he gets candy
not only locally, but from all over
the U.S. and the world, including
England, Japan and Mexico. The
store offers healthy alternatives, too,
like sugar-free candies and soda.
But, he said, it’s the nostalgia and
offbeat and unusual items that really
fuel the customers’ interest.

“People are just blown away that
they can come in and get a soda
from when they were kids and are
shocked to see we have so many dif-
ferent types of colas. There are more
than 40 different root beers. We’ve
also got some really funny flavors,
like Ranch, dirt, grass and chocolate,
and we recently got in a pickle flavor
soda that’s been in the news.”
Yet it’s more than just the Jewish
people’s connection to food and
sweets that drives this businessman.
Fogarasi also is giving back to the
community by raising awareness
and needed funds for local charity
“Blessings in a Backpack Michigan,”
a nonprofit organization that dis-
tributes backpacks filled with six
meals’ worth of non-perishable food
to at-risk students to help them
from going hungry and contribute to
their academic success.
“It amazed me to find out how
many children go home from school
and don’t have enough to eat. I’m
so glad to know this organization is
there to educate people about this
issue and I’m glad to be part of it,”
he said.
Fogarasi spoke with emotion
about how his family would have
been proud of his hard work to cre-
ate a special store like his.
“My father was an immigrant
from Hungary, and my mom is from
Canada. They’re two of the hardest-
working people I’ve known,” he said.
“I lost my father four years ago and
can’t imagine what he would think
of this store. He told me his mother
owned a candy shop. I think this
might be why I found this business
so intriguing.
“I hope my father and my grand-
mother are looking down and can see
how they impacted me and my family
with their ideas and values.” •

IT PAYS
TO

PAY IT
FORWARD

By creating a secure American Friends of the Hebrew University
Gift Annuity, not only do you get great rates, you also water the
seeds of innovation.

AFHU HEBREW UNIVERSITY GIFT ANNUITY RETURNS

AGE

65

70

75

80

85

90

RATE

6.0%

6.5%

7.1%

8.0%

9.5%

11.3%

Rates are based on single life. Cash contributions produce
annuity payments that are substantially tax-free.

Rocket Fizz is at 44225 W. 12 Mile Road,
Suite C104, in Novi.

For more information on the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and
AFHU Hebrew University Gift Annuities, please call AFHU Midwest
Region Executive Director, Judith Shenkman.

CALL OR EMAIL NOW.

Receive excellent returns,
and secure a brighter future
for all.

T: 312.329.0332
E: jshenkman@afhu.org

ABOVE: Former Detroit Lions kicker Eddie Murray and Mark Fogarasi.

WWW.AFHU.ORG

jn

September 21 • 2017

53

