Business: Beidelman Furniture
Address: 239 S. Washington St., Naperville
Phone/website: 630-355-5770, www.beidelmanfurniture.com
Owners: John and Lana Heitmanek
Year opened: 1861
What does this business sell? “We are a furniture store,” said Lana Heitmanek, who is the fourth-generation owner of the family business. “A store where everyone can find a special piece of furniture, upholstery or accessory.”
What was the impetus for opening? “Fred Long, the original owner, was a cabinet maker and opened the store right here (at the corner of Washington Street and Jackson Avenue in downtown Naperville). He then went to mortuary school to expand the business. When his nephew (Oliver Beidelman) later took over, we sold everything, housewares and televisions, vacuum cleaners, and even the old-style record players. I remember as a child watching my father, Dutch Beidelman, go on house calls to fix things. But we have since separated Beidelman Furniture, and my sister and her husband run Beidelman Funeral Home in Naperville. … I was never forced into (working or running Beidelman), but always had a love for it. I’d say I took over in the early ’90s, so a little more than 25 years now.”
“Same with myself,” said Katelyn “Katy” Heitmanek, who’s the store manager and Lana’s daughter. “We were always here as kids, but we were never forced to work in the store. Actually, in our high school years we had to get jobs in other businesses. It almost made me want this even more.”
What is the best thing about being in Naperville? “We love Naperville,” Katy said. “Our customers are the best. We have some come in here who say, ‘I bought this chair from your grandmother.'”
What is the biggest challenge about being in Naperville? “Parking,” Lana said, laughing.
“We are a destination shop for many of our loyal customers; some have come here over several generations. And the growing restaurant industry in Naperville is both good and bad for us,” Katy said.
When is your busiest time of year? “Really, all year round. But maybe a little more in fall. Right when kids are off to school, and the holidays are around the corner. Maybe a new dining room right before Thanksgiving,” Lana said.
“And then we get guys right around Christmas stopping in for jewelry boxes for their wives,” Katy said. “This year we are more prepared and have them already ordered.”
What is the most popular thing you sell? Upholstery, both Lana and Katy said.
What is the thing you most like to do as part of your business? “Furniture, contrary to what everyone always thinks, is very personal. We are both very creative people,” Katy said of the mother-daughter team. “We love helping our customers figure out what works for them, guiding them, but also letting them explore. It’s always a journey.”
What is your least favorite thing to do? “Dusting,” Katy said. “I was going to say vacuuming,” Lana said, laughing. “We have three floors, that’s a lot of vacuuming and dusting! We do it more here than at home.”
What is the best thing about owning your own business? “Being creative. Meeting people. And because we are a small business, we get to pick and choose who we deal with. If a manufacturer or contractor moves in a direction we don’t want to follow, we can choose not to.”
What is the biggest downside to owning your business? “Hmm, nothing really,” Lana said. “Is it challenging? At times, sure. Especially during the recession and the housing collapse. We had to learn to scale back. But it was also a good time to think about what we were doing.”
Tell us about the most memorable customer you had and what made them so? “The ones that stand out the most for me are those that come in right after having lost someone. It actually makes me tear up,” Lana said. “They come to replace a piece of furniture or change things to help heal. And maybe because we were part of the funeral business for so long, we are not scared to talk about it. We are both really open and honest.”
What is the biggest misconception about your business? “Oh, there are two misconceptions,” Lana said. “We get the customers who, maybe after dinner, walk past our windows looking in and loving a piece of furniture but are too scared to come in because they think it’s too expensive. Which we are not. We have something for everyone. And we also have the customers who think because we have the older style building and sign, we are something of a dive. It’s almost diametrical!”
How would you describe your business philosophy? “Like my grandfather (Dutch Beidelman) was quoted in the Naperville Sun way back,” Katy said, “‘You can’t look back too much. If you’re smart enough, you’ll go along with the changes.’ That was when he was 90 years old in 1993. And that’s what we are about. We stay true to our roots, but also allow for change.”
If you weren’t do this, what line of work would you be in? “I think we’d own a restaurant,” said Katy, with Lana agreeing.”We are always talking about it, too. We both love to cook.”
What advice would you give someone about opening a store/starting a business? “Only trust family!” Katy said. “Never bite off more than you can chew. We see it all the time.”
“Always trust your gut,” Lana added.
How has your business changed over the years? “The recession and housing collapse showed us how important it is to assess what we offer, the essentials, and also the extras,” Katy said. “We like to stay ahead, but also not fall in with trends that aren’t here to stay. … And we have to think of our customers who have been with us for many years, and also include the newer customers who might want a more contemporary look.”
“Very true,” Lana said. “We have stayed small, but also expanded who we cater to. We always say, ‘We can furnish your fresh college grad’s first apartment or a family home or anyone’s home, really.’ We just want to balance the trends that are here to stay, with finding those items that have a longer appeal to our customers.”
Daina Saleh is a freelance reporter for the Naperville Sun.
