Michigan trade veterans may remember when the Empire/Bally Distributing office in Livonia had a guy out selling machines named Roger “Boom Boom” Harvey. He originally worked for branch manager Hank Heiser in the service department there before Hank turned him into a salesman. Well, one day many years ago while Hank was talking to him on the phone, he suffered a crippling stroke and had been institutionalized ever since until his recent death.
We chatted with Hank about his old friend and learned the great Heiser himself is now residing at an assisted living facility in the Detroit metro area. He reminisced about the days he and his employees got together to put on the Empire Follies shows at the dealership where Roger got his famous nickname. “Don’t forget to put that in your item,” Hank said. Rest in peace, Boom Boom.