For those of you not on our mailing list and not following the Facebook or Instagram pages, Monday 5/8 was the 10th anniversary of Rockwood and we've been posting some old pictures, and having giveaways, sales, etc. Figured those of your that are anti-social media like me, would still like to see these pics.......
Here are my initial notes, drawings, paper samples, color drawdowns, etc in 2012, and the first designs from our friends at Atomicdust in STL .....
https://www.atomicdust.com/work/rockwood-charcoal/



Here were the first bag samples I filled with Styrofoam

The first batch!! May 8th, 2013

Picture day with the real product, May 9th 2013


The first deliveries on May 10th, 2013 to a half dozen stores in St. Louis.





A few days later, was Mother's Day 2013......had some fun with the boys. (This kid is as tall as I am now and graduates 8th grade tomorrow)



Not too long after, Rockwood is starting to getting popular!
Father's Day 2013 gift ideas featured on Show Me St. Louis

July 2013, now #1 on TNW

Filming at the plant for the first TV appearance!

Featured in Missouri Life magazine:

By the end of 2013, instead of the planned dozen stores in St. Louis, Rockwood was in 63 stores in 13 states. By the end of 2014, Rockwood was hundreds of stores across the Midwest and Southeastern US, and I quit my career as an air ambulance captain and TV/news helicopter pilot to go all in on charcoal.
A few years later, front page of the St. Louis Business Journal! Article here:
http://bizj.us/1p9dka
Seriously??!?!?! Even Martha Stewart loves the Rockwood!

Fast forward to this year, Rockwood is available in 10,000 stores in all 50 states and online, mostly thanks to
Ace Hardware.
And last month, on display at the Missouri State Capitol for BuyMissouri Day! My 2nd oldest son made the front page of the newspaper:
https://www.newstribune.com/news/2023/apr/20/buy-missouri-day-showcases-missouri-businesses-at/

Back out in Jefferson City the following Monday to BBQ with the Governor of Missouri, Mike Parson (he worked in a charcoal plant as a teenager!) Guess what kind of charcoal they use at the Governor's Mansion?


From our family, thank you for ten great years, and let's keep this fun going for many more!! This career change was the best thing that ever happened as it allowed me to get out of a dangerous job, stay home with my boys when they were young, buy the warehouse across the street from their school, employee them during 2020 when I couldn't hire anyone else, and show them a lot more opportunities and education through this business they helped build.....a business that was supposed to be nothing more than a hobby and tax write-off when I started it. Oops!
Thanks again for all of the support I have received from this forum. Great times meeting some of you at Eggtoberfest, Butt Blast, Brisket Camp, other Eggfests--need to keep those events going! I hope you enjoyed this walk down memory lane as much as I did. -JH
Comments
Rockwall, Tx LBGE, Minimax, 22" Blackstone, Pizza Party Bollore. Cast Iron Hoarder.
You make a fine product and I always recommend it to folks looking for a great lump charcoal.
Camped out in the (757/948/804)
I do miss the days when you drop shipped pallets direct to us consumers!
It amazes me, how many people do not realize how the future works.
Lrg 2008
mini 2009
XL 2021
Henny Youngman:
I said to my wife, 'Where do you want to go for our anniversary?' She said, 'I want to go somewhere I've never been before.' I said, 'Try the kitchen.'
Bob Hope: When I wake up in the morning, I don’t feel anything until noon, and then it’s time for my nap
"For the record, I took a critical thinking test once and did quite well." - Area lawn dart salesman
XL BGE, LG BGE, KJ Jr, PK Original, Ardore Pizza Oven, King Disc
Bloomington, IN - Hoo Hoo Hoo Hoosiers!
Did you ever think you would be proud to be number one on a website called The Naked Whiz?
Grand Rapids MI
This story literally nearly brought tears to my eyes. (Full disclosure i cry in Disney movies). But a family man with an idea that worked. Stands behind his product. Employs others and (i assume) is good to those employees. Chalk one up for capitalism and 'Murica. Congrats from a devoted customer.
Even more so now.
1LBGE, 1MMBGE, somewhere near Athens GA
Northern Colorado Egghead since 2012.
XL BGE and a KBQ.
A lot of people gave my crap about taking PPP money, but that's the only thing that kept us going those couple months until I got the money back from Amazon. That money then went into my kids' accounts since they did all the work. Had I not set up a Nike style sweat shop in my warehouse, not sure we would have made it through that time since all of our dealers were shut down. I would pull my SUV into the warehouse, shut the door, and it would only open back up when UPS showed up at the dock. I probably could have gotten away with it because we could have claimed "food service" providers, but it was completely BS that we were ordered to shut down when across the street Wal-Mart, Dollar Store, etc were packed with lines out the doors.
After that UPS truck left, we were out in the boat, swimming in the river the rest of the afternoon and evening. It was a great of a summer for us.
36" Blackstone - Greensboro!
I only smoke with Rockwood.
"For the record, I took a critical thinking test once and did quite well." - Area lawn dart salesman
Floyd Va
- @Legume
Well, I married me a wife, she's been trouble all my life,
Run me out in the cold rain and snow
1LBGE, 1MMBGE, somewhere near Athens GA