Stayingpower |
Enduring Long-time businesses secure a special place in local communities
businesses are part of the fabric of any community. Ones that have been going strong for decades become not just businesses, but well-loved landmarks. Here are some longtime businesses that have continued to thrive.
Chicago Ashland Addison Florist Co. ashaddflorist.com
Flowers from Ashland Addison Florist Co. have been bringing joy to the hearts of Chicagoans for generations.
S. Roy Sheffield started the business during the Great Depression. Instead of being paid with cash by local flower growers for carting their flowers to market, he was paid in flowers. Soon he started making bouquets that he sold for .10 to .25 cents each at Ashland and Addison avenues, a busy streetcar intersection at the time.
The business, which is headquartered in a spacious design studio at 1956 W. 17th St., still has a location at Ashland and Addison, and a few more at 3119 N. Lincoln Ave. in the Lakeview neighborhood, 250 E. Superior St. in the Prentice Woman’s Hospital of Northwestern Memorial Hospital, and at 1620 W. Harrison St. in the Brennan Pavilion at Rush University Medical Center.
Justin Sheffield, great grandson of the founder is president and his uncle, Chris Sheffield is vice president. The business sells hand-picked flowers, elegant flower arrangements, floral subscriptions, plants, and wedding flowers.
“I like that we get to build relationships with clients and help them with flowers for all aspects of their lives,” Justin Sheffield says.
Western suburbs Elmhurst Photo Boutique Elmhurst elmhurstphoto.com
Founded in 1968 as Elmhurst Camera by Richard Rosenberg, the business is now run by his daughter Heather Stalker who has taken it in a new direction.
With everyone snapping photos on their phones, Stalker says demand for cameras and related equipment, that previously had been the store’s specialty, had declined.
Stalker didn’t throw in the towel, however. Instead she reimagined the store as one with a variety of new photo-related services including photo restoration, archiving photos, transferring photos to digital modes such as flash drives and greeting cards and other items that can be personalized with photos.
Stalker says many people are interested in preserving old family photos before they fade away, are forgotten, lost or damaged.
She understands how much family photos mean to people. When floods struck the city in 2013, Stalker, who grew up in Elmhurst, offered free scanning of up to 400 photos, a $60 value to all residents of Elmhurst and surrounding communities.
Whether it’s for a happy occasion or a sad one, Stalker loves helping people maintain and preserve their family photos for generations to come.
Northern suburbs Lambrecht’s Jeweler’s Wilmette lambrechtsjewelers.com
Founded in 1892 by William Lambrecht, a watchmaker who had immigrated from Germany, this family-owned jewelry store at 1131 Central Ave. in Wilmette is celebrating its 130th year in business this year.
Two members of a fourth generation of the family run the business today. Beth Lambrecht is a jewelry designer who creates custom fine jewelry. Her brother, Matt Lambrecht, takes care of buying and appraisals. Both wait on customers.
The store got its start at Milwaukee and Western avenues in Chicago. Then in 1955, it expanded to Wilmette. In 1966, the Chicago store closed and was folded into the Wilmette store.
Beth Lambrecht says it’s an honor to serve customers and their families who’ve been patronizing the business since the 1950s.
“We are known for honesty and fair dealing,” she says. “We’ve been serving customers from one generation to the next.”
The store also offers jewelry repair, watch battery replacement, a wide selection of diamonds, wedding jewelry and other jewelry.
South suburbs Krapil’s Steakhouse & Patio Worth krapilssteakhouse.com
The Muersch family knows a good thing when they see it and have continued to improve upon it.
The family purchased Krapil’s Steakhouse & Patio in Worth in 1996. The business was started by the Krapil family in the 1940s and, at one time, had several other locations in Chicago, Richton Park and Roseland.
Today, only the Worth location remains, but the Meurches are committed to seeing it thrive.
The restaurant serves meat that is hand-cut on-site to ensure quality and weight accuracy, as well as appetizers
Northwest Indiana Trim-A-Seal trimaseal.com
A home is a big investment. When it comes to taking care of it, homeowners want a company they can trust. That’s where Trim-A-Seal comes in. The business was started in 1950 by Larry Weiss and now a second and third-generation of Weisses are leading the family-owned remodeling business.
Howard Weiss, son of the founder, is the president and CEO, grandson, Zach Weiss, is vice president, and another grandson, Michael Weiss, is general manager.
The business does mostly residential work and a little bit of commercial. It focuses on windows, siding, roofing, concrete coatings, gutter and gutter protection, doors and shade solutions. and sandwiches made fresh daily.
One of the improvements the family has made is a 7,500-square-foot patio that they built themselves by hand, which, owner Ron Muersch says, shows the passion his family has for the business. It features both open and covered areas and has a wood-burning firepit and a covered stage where bands play throughout the year at no cover charge.
The interior of the restaurant has a rustic North Woods supper club atmosphere, which Muersch says customers enjoy.
“One of the best compliments I get is from people who tell me that they feel like they are on vacation when they are here,” he says.
It is the third largest dealer of SunSetter motorized awnings in the nation.
The company, which has offices in Munster and Gary, works in Northwestern Indiana, the Chicago area and in western Michigan.
Zach Weiss says they have many customers and employees who have stayed with them through generations. He says the best part of the business is the people.
“We have a good crew,” he says. “We work hard, but we laugh a lot. It’s like a family.”