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Mount Prospect Historical Society

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Businesses of Mount Prospect

July 15, 2012 By HS Board

Busse Buick

Does MPHS have photographs: Yes

Address: Originally in 2 W. Busse, moved to 30-32 S. Main

Is building standing: No. Demolished 2006 and 1999

What is at site: Blues Bar and Condos

When was business founded: 1912

Is business still operating: No. Sold to John Mufich in 1966 and name changed

Who owned business: Originally, William Busse

Interesting stories, facts, history:

In 1908 William Busse was walking along Michigan Avenue in Chicago with a business associate. They passed a Buick dealership and were fascinated by the car they saw in the window. They were a little cautious, but agreed to buy a car. William Busse enjoyed the car and two years later upgraded to a larger car. He was so impressed that he contacted the manufacturer and offered to become a local agent, he was told that the Buick Dealers in Chicago had a deal that there could be no other dealers in Cook County outside the city limits, so William Busse went home, but did not forget. Two years later, he was finishing building the 2 W. Busse building and a stranger showed up and asked to speak to William Busse. He explained that he was a Buick representative and had come to offer Busse a charter for a local agency. Busse Buick was born in 1912 and originally housed in the building at 2 W. Busse. This building houses Busse’s hardware store and each day they would roll the cars out onto the street in the morning and then roll them back into the store at night.

Soon a small cinderblock garage was built. This 1915 cinderblock building was built to be used as a service station, complete with gas pumps; however it was too small for their operations. In 1918, they began construction of a larger garage at 30 S. Main Street. The building was expanded in 1921 and then again in 1928. In that same year, William Busse broke up the Busse Hardware Store, he made Busse Buick independent; sold the hardware store to Frank Biermann, creating Busse-Biermann Hardware; and sold the farm equipment dealership to Herman Meyn.

The building along Main Street was a center in the village. It was a full service mechanics shop, gas station, and a car dealership. The Busse Buick dealership remained a landmark in downtown Mount Prospect for fifty years and remained within the Busse family for that entire time. When the dealership was sold in 1966, it was the oldest Buick dealership in Cook County. However, with the development of larger dealerships in fringe areas and increased sprawl, a dealership in the center of town was not large enough to compete and had no space to grow. When the dealership was sold, it moved and the building was later used by the Northwest Electric Supply Company. The façade of the building was modified and the structure was not well maintained. Eventually, the building was demolished in the 1990s to make way for a condominium building.

Filed Under: Businesses of Mount Prospect

July 15, 2012 By HS Board

Boston Coffee

Does MPHS have photographs: Yes

Address: Originally 4 Northwest Highway, later moved to 117 S. Emerson

Is building standing: Yes

What is at site: Empty

When was business founded: 1992

Is business still operating: No

If no, when did it close: 2003

Who owned business: Fred and Chris Adams

Interesting stories, facts, history:

Boston Coffee was named because of Fred Adams’ love of the TV show Cheers and his desire to make a coffee shop where people could gather and all the regulars would “know your name.” The shop was a landmark in downtown Mount Prospect for over a decade and in that time Fred and Chris did learn just about everyone’s name. For years, Boston Coffee roasted their own beans in house and brewed millions of cups of coffee. With more national chain coffee shops opening in the downtown and Fred and Chris having different plans, the shop closed in the spring of 2003. In the weeks before it closed, the regular customers came in and wrote down their memories, thanks and best wishes for Fred and Chris in a small book. A copy of this book is on file at the Mount Prospect Historical Society.

Filed Under: Businesses of Mount Prospect

July 15, 2012 By HS Board

Baldini’s Barber Shop


Does MPHS have photographs:  Yes

Address:  Originally 30 Busse, moved to 2 Pine

Is building standing: Yes

What is at site: Original site is a hair salon

When was business founded:  Circa 1924

Is business still operating: No

Who owned business: Lou Baldini

Interesting stories, facts, history:

In 1922 Adolph Wille, the owner and operator of Wille’s Tavern, was granted the first barber’s license in Mount Prospect. He put a barber’s chair in a small back room of the tavern and began offering hair cuts. Soon after, he found the business was doing well and needed more space. He built a small shop next to the saloon and brought in a professional barber, Lou Baldini. Soon, Baldini was an institution in town. He was in business into the 1960s and saw many changes in hair styles in his time.

Filed Under: Businesses of Mount Prospect

June 25, 2012 By HS Board

Arlington Club Beverage Company

Does MPHS have photographs: Yes

Address: Originally, 110-112 W. Fremont in Arlington Heights, moved in 1964 to 1326 W. Central Road

Is building standing: Yes

What is at site: The Art Studio at Melas Park (opened in 1997)

When was business founded: 1872

Is business still operating: No

If no, when did it close: 1991

Who owned business:  Frederick W. Muller, later sons Henry and William. Sold to Harvey Lutz and Louis Stiglich in March 1960. Sold to Dick Vandenbark in 1985

Interesting stories, facts, history:

Arlington Beverage Company produced sodas and flavored drinks in the Northwest suburbs for over a century. Bottles of cream soda or the black cherry soda will bring back memories to every one who grew up in the area before the 1980s. The Arlington Beverage Company also ran the “Pop Shop” a local landmark. Started in Arlington Heights, the factory was originally in the ground floor of Frederick Muller’s house and the bottled beverages were delivered by horse and wagon. Over time the company grew and made its founder both wealthy and well known. Two of the homes he built are now on the National Register of Historic Places and are the home of the Arlington Heights Historical Society. Over the years, competition from national brands with massive advertising budgets and economies of scale, made it a less and less attractive business and the Pop Shop closed in 1991.

Filed Under: Businesses of Mount Prospect

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Mount Prospect Historical Society
101 South Maple Street
Mount Prospect, IL 60056
847.392.9006
info@mtphistory.org

The Mount Prospect Historical Society is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that is committed to preserving the history of Mount Prospect, IL, through artifacts, photographs and both oral and written memories of current and former residents and businesspeople.  On its campus in the heart of the Village, the Society maintains the 1906 Dietrich Friedrichs house museum, the ADA-accessible Dolores Haugh Education Center and the 1896 one-room Central School, which was moved to the museum campus in 2008, renovated and opened to the public in 2017, the 100-year anniversary of the Village.

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