Go Ugly Early!

            Harry’s Chocolate Shop has been opened for over for 80 years and has had a couple different owners since 1919 (Welcome to Harry’s Chocolate Shop.) Harry Marack Sr. was the original owner, but was not originally from the West Lafayette area. He moved to West Lafayette from Chicago. Harry Marack partnered with Deac Reisner in 1919 to open The Chocolate Shop before it was a bar. In 1933 Marack went on to own Harry’s on his own and transformed it into a bar. He worked better on his own and was they type of person who liked things done his way.

        Harry’s son, Harry Jr. did not want work at the bar at first, but in 1960 he became a partner. After his father died, Harry Jr. continued owning the bar until 1977 when he sold it. He wanted a more secure job for his children and did not always like the environment the bar contained during the 1970s. The new owner became Hershel Cook; a close friend of Harry Jr. Hershel went on to get married to Mary, who became a co-owner (Berglund). Mary worked at the bar before Hershel bought it. Today Hershel and Mary continue to run Harry’s Chocolate Shop. 

 

       Below is a video from an article in the Purdue Exponent, written by Bridgit Wellman. The video contains an interview with Mary Cook and she describes the orginal owner.