Abt Electronics - History

History

Abt Electronics began in 1936 when Jewel Abt gave $800 to her husband David to start a business. The firm was originally named Abt Radio because it only sold small electronics in its early days. The original location was a small storefront and service department in the Logan Square area of Chicago. Abt Electronics expanded over the years to employ 1100 employees on a 65,000 square feet (6,000 m2) sales floor in Glenview, a suburb of Chicago. By 1955, the store was strictly a showroom, with merchandise kept at a separate warehouse.

  • 1936 – Jewel and Dave Abt opened Abt Radio with $800, located at 2835 N. Milwaukee, Chicago, IL. Abt Radio had a small service department. The store sold small electronics
  • 1953 - Bob Abt (current Abt CEO) began working at Abt Radio part-time and over summers.
  • 1955 - Moved to Logan Square Location at 2858 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago. Merchandise was kept off-site at the Hollander warehouse. One van made all the deliveries.
  • 1962 - Bob Abt began working full-time at Abt Radio.
  • 1971 - The Abt Family opened a store in Niles, Illinois and kept both locations open for 6 years.
  • 1975 - The Abt fleet grew from one van to four 16’ trucks.
  • 1975 - Mike Abt began working part-time at Abt.
  • 1977 - The Logan Square location closed.
  • 1981 - Jon Abt began working part-time at Abt.
  • 1985 - Fire at Abt, the only time that Abt was closed when it was scheduled to be open.
  • 1985 - Billy Abt began working part-time at Abt.
  • 1986 - Abt expanded the Niles location. Abt doubled in size from 12,000 to 24,000 square feet (2,200 m2).
  • 1988 - Abt began hosting classes on product usage.
  • 1989 - Mike Abt began working for Abt full-time.
  • 1990 - The Niles store closed on December 9 at 9 p.m.
  • 1990 - Abt’s fourth location, in Morton Grove, Illinois, opened for business at 9 a.m., December 10.
  • 1990 - Recycling program begins.
  • 1995 - Billy Abt began working at Abt full-time.
  • 1997 - Abt completed an Addition to its Morton Grove doubling its size.
  • 1997 - Abt.com was launched and Abt became an authorized on-line retailer for brands like Sony, Panasonic, Toshiba, Bose, and Onkyo.
  • 1998 - Jon Abt began working at Abt full-time.
  • 2002 - May 26 Abt’s fifth location, in Glenview, Illinois, opened for business.
  • 2005 - May 25, The City of Chicago dedicated the corner of Wolfram and Milwaukee Ave. to Jewel and David Abt. The new corner is called Jewel and David Abt Way.
  • 2005 - Newsweek featured Abt in an article, “Abt- Beta-Testing Paradise.”
  • 2007 - June through September Abt took part in the City of Chicago’s Cool Globes program, encouraging people to take action against Global Warming.
  • 2007 - The Wall Street Journal featured Abt in an article, “A Way to Fight Big Rivals: Play Up Style and Service.”
  • 2008 - Jewel and David Abt are inducted into the 2008 Consumer Electronics Hall of Fame.
  • 2008 - March, the Wall Street Journal featured Abt in an article about Abt’s green initiatives.
  • 2008 - In June Abt opens the Design Center
  • 2008 - In Oct the 10,000-square-foot (930 m2) recycling center opens
  • 2008 - Abt won the "Partners for Clean Air" award.
  • 2008 - Abt chosen as the Chicago tribune's Top Workplace in Chicago.
  • 2009 - Abt's Mobile Installation department was voted one of the top 100 best retailers and installers from Mobile Electronics Inc.
  • 2010 - Abt begins selling HVAC equipment furnishing homes with water heaters, furnaces, air conditioners and more.
  • 2010 - Chosen as the 2010 Dealer of the Year by Control4; a premier home automation company.
  • 2010 - Voted in the top 10 of Chicago Tribune's "Top Chicago Workplaces" for the best place to work in the Chicagoland area.
  • 2011 - Creates a "trade in your old electronics" program, allowing consumers to get the latest and greatest products.
  • 2011 - Voted the #1 place to work in Chicago Tribune's "Top Chicago Workplaces"
  • 2012 - Abt enters the field of home security, providing customers added comfort and security to their daily lives.
  • 2012 - Abt updates their atrium by designing a new loft carrying a wide selection of mattresses.

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