Tell me more about Hermann (St. Louis, Rolla: rent, house, to buy)

[midwesterner7]

I'm interested in knowing whatever you can tell me about living in Hemann.

[goodvedderbest]

Hermann is a lovely little town which is kept up much better than most small towns, due in no small fact to the steady tourism industry. But that industry gives the locals more quality options for dining and entertainment than residents in many places with more people. Or if you just want the greasy spoon type of meal, that is also an option.

I would say the schools are above average. The high school is less than 10 years old and is a great facility. There is also a private catholic grade school in town that I believe is K-8.

I would venture to say the town is mostly Catholic, but several other denominations are also represented.

People that live in St. Louis, KC, Jeff City, etc. own a decent amount of 2nd homes in the area, so the population seems to ebb and flow throughout a week. This is only magnified by the tourists also coming on the weekends. Expect a bit more traffic these days.

There is a real sense of some local pride. Most people who live there have grown up there, and this has been true for generations. Change is sometimes treated with skepticism, but as long as you don't move in and show that you want to disrupt the hierarchy you will be welcomed.

It is a small town though, so be advised that like any other place there's always some sort of local gossip going around. If you tell someone something, expect the entire town to find out. Depending on who you tell, perhaps within a few hours. So if you have something that you don't care to share with any average stranger, it's probably best you keep it to yourself!

If you have anything specific you'd like to know, I'm sure I could help answer it for you.

[Northwoods Voyager]

Originally Posted by midwesterner7

I'm interested in knowing whatever you can tell me about living in Hemann.

Living in Hermann is quite an experience. I had worked in Hermann for many years. As a Business Manager of a company and as a paid public servant. So much to do in the area. Katy Trail across the Missouri River. Newer subdivisions as well as historic older homes. Hermann takes pride in maintaining the community. Streets repaired. Many updates.

Many civic organizations available to join. Great artistic and craft clubs. Mostly Mom 'n' Pop type restaurants as opposed to the typical franchises. Many born and raised of all ages as well as quite a few 'outsiders'. It can take awhile to make lasting friendships as some are a little wary of strangers. Especially those that come only during the Maifests and the Oktoberfests.

Great schools and lot of civic pride. It is the county seat for Gasconade county with an historic courthouse overlooking the Missouri River. Many antique shops with a variety of wares. Stone Hill Winery, Hermannhoff Winery and Puchta Winery with others nearby. Fabulous German cuisine restaurants. Variety of stores, some factories. Hermann hospital and a good choice of doctors.

To the east you have another small town, New Haven. Further east there is a larger town/city, Washington with a hospital, many franchise stores, restaurants.

Try this link: www.city-data.com/city/Hermann-Missouri.html

[midwesterner7]

We love German food and drink and have German ancestry. We'd probably balloon way out if we lived there and were to partake. We're seriously considering relocating to a small MO town next summer. Preferably in the southeast region (not the bootheel). I appreciate all the input. After spending several years in the congested deep south, it's past time to get back to friendly down-to-earth MO!

[katr]

Originally Posted by goodvedderbest

Hermann is a lovely little town which is kept up much better than most small towns, due in no small fact to the steady tourism industry. But that industry gives the locals more quality options for dining and entertainment than residents in many places with more people. Or if you just want the greasy spoon type of meal, that is also an option.

I would say the schools are above average. The high school is less than 10 years old and is a great facility. There is also a private catholic grade school in town that I believe is K-8.

I would venture to say the town is mostly Catholic, but several other denominations are also represented.

People that live in St. Louis, KC, Jeff City, etc. own a decent amount of 2nd homes in the area, so the population seems to ebb and flow throughout a week. This is only magnified by the tourists also coming on the weekends. Expect a bit more traffic these days.

There is a real sense of some local pride. Most people who live there have grown up there, and this has been true for generations. Change is sometimes treated with skepticism, but as long as you don't move in and show that you want to disrupt the hierarchy you will be welcomed.

It is a small town though, so be advised that like any other place there's always some sort of local gossip going around. If you tell someone something, expect the entire town to find out. Depending on who you tell, perhaps within a few hours. So if you have something that you don't care to share with any average stranger, it's probably best you keep it to yourself!

If you have anything specific you'd like to know, I'm sure I could help answer it for you.

Hi - I'm not sure if I'm doing this correctly, so if not, sorry. I'm in the military and close to retirement. I've been looking for a retirement place to call "home" and came upon Hermann. Would you be able to tell me if it is "green'? I live in England right now, and love the fact that it is green almost all year long. Also, I would love to open a tea shoppe - do you think Hermann would be an acceptable place for one? You've pretty much answered my other questions in your post, so I think thats it for now. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks - Kathy oh, since I'm not quite sure how to track responses, you can email me directly at "katr0713 AT yahoo DOT com" . Again, thanks.

[kshe95girl]

Missouri has 4 distinct seasons, so it is not going to be green all year long.......I assume thats the kind of green you mean?

[ozarksboy]

Originally Posted by katr

Also, I would love to open a tea shoppe - do you think Hermann would be an acceptable place for one?

I have lived in or near five small Missouri towns. None of them had or have a tea shoppe, tea house, tea room or tea garden. Four of the five did not have a coffee shop; they had diners or cafes where you could get a cut of black coffee and if you asked for it, you'd get a little jug of cream or some of those non-dairy creamers and packets of sugar or jar of sugar. In Rolla, the biggest small town in which I have lived, we have a couple of places that serve coffee in various ways.

The tea we drink is usually consumed with ice. I prefer it sweetened with sugar.

Now I said all that to say this: Be careful about putting your money into a tea shoppe. It would be sad state of affairs for someone to come all the way from England to set up a business in Missouri and then go belly up.

If it's going to work anyplace in outstate Missouri, it might have a slim chance in Hermann--if you serve sandwiches and soups and breads, too. Along with coffee and soft drinks.

You'll get plenty of encouragement from people on city-data, but I think a tea shoppe in Missouri sounds like a pretty risky business. You're going to have to sell a lot of cups of tea to pay the rent and keep the lights turned on.

But, then again, I'm often pessimistic, so perhaps I'm wrong.

Also, Missouri turns brown in October and doesn't green up until spring. It is the bleak mid-winter right now. Where we don't have melting snow, we have mud. We also have more snow in the forecast.

[kshe95girl]

^OB, someone opened a coffee shop in Sainte Genevieve, which is a tourist mecca, and it went belly-up before a year was up.
A tea shop in Hermann is very risky, indeed.

[katr]

thank you SO much for the honest input. I've been talking to a couple of realtors and had almost convinced myself to buy a house sight unseen. Hermann does sound like a lovely place though, and if I didnt already have lots of supplies prepared for a shoppe, I might stll consider it. I guess I'll have to contact the really lovely realtor I've been talking with.

Again, thanks SO much! Oh, I took a bit to respond to this because I dont know how to track messages I respond to, or that come in. I'll keep playing with the site though.

Originally Posted by ozarksboy

I have lived in or near five small Missouri towns. None of them had or have a tea shoppe, tea house, tea room or tea garden. Four of the five did not have a coffee shop; they had diners or cafes where you could get a cut of black coffee and if you asked for it, you'd get a little jug of cream or some of those non-dairy creamers and packets of sugar or jar of sugar. In Rolla, the biggest small town in which I have lived, we have a couple of places that serve coffee in various ways.

The tea we drink is usually consumed with ice. I prefer it sweetened with sugar.

Now I said all that to say this: Be careful about putting your money into a tea shoppe. It would be sad state of affairs for someone to come all the way from England to set up a business in Missouri and then go belly up.

If it's going to work anyplace in outstate Missouri, it might have a slim chance in Hermann--if you serve sandwiches and soups and breads, too. Along with coffee and soft drinks.

You'll get plenty of encouragement from people on city-data, but I think a tea shoppe in Missouri sounds like a pretty risky business. You're going to have to sell a lot of cups of tea to pay the rent and keep the lights turned on.

But, then again, I'm often pessimistic, so perhaps I'm wrong.

Also, Missouri turns brown in October and doesn't green up until spring. It is the bleak mid-winter right now. Where we don't have melting snow, we have mud. We also have more snow in the forecast.

[stepka]

There was a tea shop called Patricia's in Dexter Mo for years and it was quite popular--they had a gift shop attached and did pictures and had parties for girls and desserts and pastries and it was a really nice place. I think one in Hermann would be do-able b/c it's a close enough drive from St. Louis and if you start one I'll come drink tea in it! Go for the church lady crowd and you can't go wrong.