Though not sure how Positively Naperville ended up with this late 1920s photo of Beidelman Furniture building, it is now known history that the 165-year-old building has been sold.
Co-owners Kate Heitmanek and her mother, Lana Heitmanek, have sold the building and furniture business that will remain an historic fixture at the corner of S. Washington Street and Jackson Avenue. In 2024, the building received landmark status from the Naperville City Council.
Pictured here, the 3-story Collegiate Gothic-style building built in 1928 was a place where many Napervillians worked. Note the top photo was taken before the windows were filled in with bricks. And a gas station was where “The George” is now.
Naperville resident Meg Landek was employed by Beidelman for 10 years. She has many fond memories of greeting customers and selling furniture displayed on all three floors. “We ran up and down those stairs all day. I always wished I had counted the number of steps,” Landek said. “And you know who was fastest? Lana!”
Landek also noted the building had the “oldest elevator in DuPage County.”
For years, residents have wondered what the building would become when Beidelman Furniture closed its doors. Another furniture business? Multi-tenant retail market place? Large retail business? A small hotel?
One thing that’s likely is no Naperville resident will be around to see if the new business lasts five generations.
