Business owners search for stolen stuffed rooster, Oberlin police ask it be returned

OBERLIN — Oberlin police and a local business owners are on the lookout for a stolen stuffed rooster. Leo Boes and his wife Wendy own the Blue Rooster Bakehouse on South Main Street in Oberlin. Boes said the shop's fifth anniversary was Saturday, and Blue Rooster was having a drawing with prizes to celebrate. The prizes were sitting on a table across from the counter, and someone decided they had won the rooster. "I'm sure that one of our smaller customers probably walked off with it," Boes said with a laugh. "I'm sure it's got a happy home." Boes told Oberlin police who took to social media to reach out to the suspect. "If you took the rooster, please return the rooster to Blue Rooster Bakehouse," the Oberlin police Facebook post read. "Don't be THAT person who has to explain to friends and family that you got arrested for stealing a stuffed rooster. Trust us, that's not a conversation you want to have with your family at the dinner table this Thanksgiving … They'll make fun of you for years." Boes said he isn't too worried about whether or not the rooster comes back, assuming whoever has it is enjoying it. "It was all in fun," he said. "We were shocked that it wasn't here when we looked (at the table.) But I'm pretty sure some little kid is hugging it to death." The drawing still went as planned, as Boes said the giveaway included a rooster apron, coloring books and gift cards to give to his customers, which he said he couldn't say enough good things about. He said Blue Rooster wouldn't have made it five years if him and his wife weren't coming into Oberlin to get a specific pizza with a gluten-free crust. He said they saw the location and eight weeks later they opened up. "I can't really explain what happened," he said. "Everything fell into place." Both Boes and his wife grew up in kitchens, and he said it was a dream of theirs to open a bakehouse. Nine months ago, they opened a second location in Wooster. Boes said some people say couples can't work together and stay together, but that couldn't be further from the truth for him and Wendy. "We're having a blast," he said. Contact Sean McDonnell at 329-7148 or smcdonnell@chroniclet.com. Follow him on Twitter @SeanMcDonnellCT.