Local Lynchpin

By Mark Loehrke
September 2024 View more Shop

For more than 160 years, Beidelman Furniture remains an anchor of downtown Naperville

The furniture business is one of constant change, as new styles, designs and fabrics are rolled out year after year to appeal to evolving customer tastes and lifestyles. Even amid such flux, however, certain qualities and characteristics—quality, craftsmanship, and reliability—still hold a certain enduring appeal. The same can be said for furniture retailers—or at least in Naperville, where neither the fickle comings and goings of trends nor the considerable growth and upheaval of the local commercial landscape over the decades have done much to chip away at the bedrock that is Beidelman Furniture.

Founded 163 years ago and still owned and operated by the same family, it is the oldest business in DuPage County, the oldest furniture business in the state of Illinois, and, with its three-story brick building at Washington Street and Jackson Avenue, one of downtown Naperville’s most recognizable landmarks. (In fact, the Naperville Historic Preservation Commission recommended in July that the building receive local landmark status, which was granted in August.)

While the history and resilience of the store makes for a nice tale of civic pride, fifth-generation owner and store manager Katelyn Heitmanek says the real story of Beidelman’s longevity is largely built on commitment to the customer. “We try to have a little bit of everything, from smaller-scale furniture for city condos and empty-nesters to large sectionals and dining room for more expansive spaces,” she explains. “More importantly, we offer human-to-human service, offering longtime customers special deals and accommodating special requests that bigger stores just can’t fulfill. In a world of remote sales, we have become a rare bird where people can come to get old-school customer service and hospitality.”

And though that focus hasn’t changed over the years, Heitmanek says the store has certainly worked hard to adapt and stay current. In addition to keeping a finger on the pulse of the industry with new styles to display in its showroom, the store also has taken steps to modernize the shopping experience, such as transforming its 1860s workshop into a design studio where custom-order clients can enjoy a cup of coffee while flipping through design books for inspiration and talking through their options with knowledgeable staff members.

Of course, after 16 decades (and counting), a business tends to become more than just the product it sells. “Like Naperville, Beidelman has changed a lot in the last 163 years, but some things remain the same,” Heitmanek says. “We know as much about Naperville as we do furniture, and we love just having a chat with whomever is coming through our doors to share our heritage and love for this community.”

A Long History in Naperville

Once upon a time, Fred Long married Amelia Beidelman and started Beidelman Furniture in 1861. Fred and Amelia’s nephew, O.J. Beidelman, worked in the business for several years, eventually purchasing the store from them in 1907. O.J. continued to run the furniture store, as well as a funeral home, for many years with the help of his two oldest sons, Bill and Owen (Dutch). After Bill died, Dutch bought out the rest of his siblings and assumed full ownership of the furniture store and undertaking business. Since the late 1990s, Dutch’s daughter Cassie and her family have owned and operated the funeral home (Beidelman-Kunsch), while daughter Lana’s side of the family (including daughter Katelyn) has run the furniture store—with fifth-generation Beideman family members continuing to work at both businesses.

Photos: Emily Cummings Photography (Heitmaneks); Beidelman Furniture