GALESBURG, Ill. — It was a double celebration at Lindstrom's TV & Appliance store on Thursday morning.
The family-owned business marked 100 years of serving customers on Galesburg's Main Street. At the same time, owner Dick Lindstrom turned 80 years old. Galesburg's Chamber of Commerce stopped by the store to honor the dual-celebration.
Back in 1925, George Lindstrom opened the store, spurred on by his love of the hot new device known as a "radio." For many years, it also served as a hub for music lovers searching for records.
Now, a century later, the ownership has passed from George to his son Dean and then on to Dean's son, Dick. And the actual merchandise for sale has evolved over the decades as well.
"We were in the music business, we sold records. For 60 years, we sold records in one of the largest record stores downstate," Dick Lindstrom said. "The radio and television and stereo, that all became part of Lindstrom's. We even sell mattresses now! That entire thing just — you had to change with the times."
Lindstrom says even at 80, his health is good and he doesn't plan on slowing down at the store anytime soon.
"I thank God every day. But I also have good people that work for Lindstrom's TV & Appliance and also have a great customer base. The people that have supported Lindstrom's over the years have just been fantastic," he said.
But what about the secret to all those decades of success? In an era where big box retailers dominate commercial landscapes of all sizes, how does a small-town, family-owned appliance store continue to thrive?
In fact, Lindstrom's bucked national trends during the COVID-19 pandemic, as it expanded its customer base at a time when businesses across the country were closing their doors. Now, the store reaches Monmouth, Macomb, Peoria and Bloomington.
If you ask Lindstrom, he says it all comes back to taking care of the customer.
"If you sell good products, quality products that last a long time — and you take care of those products for the customer — you'll be very successful," Lindstrom said.
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