Our Founding Story & Commitment to Community
From humble beginnings grow great things.
In 1989 Bob Sutherland started selling the original Cherry Republic t-shirt sporting the motto "Life, Liberty, Beaches and Pie" out of the trunk of his car.
The shirts were a hit, and a few years later Bob created the now-famous Original Cherry Boomchunka Cookie which he sold to local merchants in Michigan's Great Northwest.
Glen Arbor and Beyond
By 1995, Bob had a small storefront in his hometown of Glen Arbor where he made, packaged and shipped the now 8 cherry products he proudly offered.
Since then, the Cherry Republic has expanded to 8 stores across Michigan carrying over 200 unique cherry products. We welcome over 500,000 citizens per year to our stores.
You Haven't Seen Anything Yet
Cherry Republic was founded with and continues to grow with an entrepreneurial spirit. Each employee is empowered to make real impact guided by our values of Life, Liberty, Beaches & Pie™. Products are constantly being developed and refined. New products are introduced each year. Sharing the joy of Michigan cherries in every way possible is at the heart of what we do. The company has grown exponentially over the past nearly 40 years and continues to be at the forefront of retail and ecommerce. Cherry Republic defines the Michigan cherry experience.