60 | NOVEMBER 14 • 2019 

business

bitz and check out the latest fashions. 
We talk about everything, like the 
latest good movies to see or a new 
restaurant opening,” Rothenberg 
says. “One of our customers says 
her husband calls Hersh’
s her ‘
rent-
a-friend’
 because she likes to come 
in almost weekly to spend time with 
us.” 
Rothenberg was brought up in 
fashion retailing — his mother 
owned Just Marilyn’
s boutique in 
Southfield but has been retired for 
more than 30 years. “I learned about 
the business from my mother and 
got my first job selling women’
s 
shoes at Jonathon’
s in Southfield when I 
was just 15 years old,” he says.
“When I opened Hersh’
s, my business 
philosophy never revolved around being a 
financial success,” he adds. “I only wanted 
to wake up every day doing what I love 
and to be able to give back to the world.”
Giving to his community is a priority, 
and Rothenberg never passes up a chance 
to donate to a charity. “Whether it’
s for 
breast cancer survivors, local schools, an 
event affiliated with Temple Israel or any 
other good cause, I donate equally to all of 
them,” he says. 
Keeping abreast of current clothing 
retail business trends has been more of an 
issue recently for the boutique. They are 
competing with the popularity of online 

shopping, but Rothenberg says his custom-
ers still like to see, feel and try on clothing 
in person before buying.“We personally 
style our customers from top to bottom 
with an expert but honest eye, never sell-
ing something just to make a sale,” he says.
Longtime customer Jennifer Fantich, 
36, of Bloomfield Hills is committed to 
shopping local and says Hersh’
s has all the 
essential pieces, suited to her budget, to 
build her wardrobe each season. “I also 
love their new home goods department, 
where I’
ve found stylish pieces at very rea-
sonable prices to decorate my home,” she 
says.
The home goods and shoe department 
were added when the boutique expanded 
in January 2019. “It makes it more of a 
one-stop shop for our customers where 

you can finish your outfit with the 
perfect shoes and pick up a host-
ess gift if you’
re going to a holiday 
party,” Rothenberg says. 
Friedman has brought a breath of 
fresh air and some new ideas since 
she started working at the boutique 
five years ago, her father says. 
“We’
re integrating technology 
and using things like FaceTime to 
communicate with our customers 
who travel frequently, to help them 
shop remotely before they come 
in,” Freidman says. “
And I’
m taking 
charge of our social media presence, 
posting more content all the time.”
Trunk shows with evening wear collec-
tions from designers like Wayne Clark, 
Frascara, Emmelle, Mi Jong Lee and others 
with contemporary everyday wear are also 
part of its ongoing modern business plan. 
Even though he’
ll be 60 on his next 
birthday, Rothenberg says there are no 
plans for his retirement. “My retirement 
will be the day I die,” he says. “
And then I 
picture my daughter and any grandchil-
dren I may have taking on the business 
and carrying on this wonderful family 
legacy.” 

Hersh’
s Inc. is at 6895 Orchard Lake Road in West 

Bloomfield, between 14 and 15 Mile roads. 

Harold and Caryn 
Rothenberg and their 
daughter Jessica Friedman

DERRICK MARTINEZ

continued from page 59

T

o help raise awareness 
and remove the stigma 
about mental health, 
GLR Advanced Recycling 
(GLR) partnered with the 
National Alliance on Mental 
Illness’
 Metro Detroit 
chapter — NAMI Metro — 
to host Crush the Stigma 
at Livonia Churchill High 
School on Oct. 2.
GLR, a Livonia-based 
automotive recycler, 
crushes and recycles old 

cars, sending nothing to 
the landfill. Using a play 
on words, the Crush the 
Stigma event allowed 
students to write mental 
health-related words and 
phrases on two vehicles that 
were parked for three days 
at Churchill High School. 
The event culminated with 
a “crushing” of the cars by 
GLR and a “crushing” of the 
stigmas that are related to 
mental health. 

NEAR PERFECT MEDIA

Crush the Stigma