A Fond Farewell: Honoring the Legacy of Chicagoland’s Iconic Businesses Through Auctions
The fabric of the Chicago area is interwoven with the history of its iconic businesses – establishments that have served as community pillars for decades. As time ushers in changes, some of these landmark institutions have closed their doors, entrusting Grafe Auction with the significant task of honoring their legacy through the auction of their treasured assets. This blog pays homage to the memory of businesses like Arlington Park, Ingram’s Busy Bee Bakery, Dinkel’s Bakery, Odeum Expo Center, Pheasant Run Resort, and Blue Goose Market – each a testament to the region's rich commercial tapestry.
Arlington Park: The Epitome of Equestrian Excellence (1927-2021)
Opened in 1927, Arlington Park was more than just a racetrack; it was a cultural icon that witnessed the thrill of victory and the history of horse racing. When the gates closed, Grafe Auction was there to ensure that every piece from the grandstands to the winner's circle found a new home, preserving the spirit of the races. Due to its age and massive size, there were almost 18,000 lots available for auction. These included:
- Kitchen, restaurant, and food service equipment
- Jockey quarters
- Offices
- Artwork and memorabilia
- Track and grandstand components
- Assets from all five levels of the venue
The auction series lasted a total of 20 auctions, spanning months of hard work by the Grafe Auction set-up team. Each auction requires hours of preparation, especially when it's as large as the auction for Arlington Park. As with the other institutions in this list, we recognized its significance to the community, and hoped to honor that in the care and time we took setting up and executing each one.
Ingram’s Busy Bee Bakery: A Sweet Chapter Ends (1970s - 2021)
For over fifty years, Ingram’s Busy Bee Bakery delighted Downers Grove with confections and community spirit. The pandemic brought unexpected challenges, but even as it closed, the bakery's equipment auction saw the community rally in support, a fitting tribute to an establishment that always looked out for its neighbors (Chicago Tribune). Interesting items from the auction included:
- Specialized bakery equipment like a Rhodes KookEking cookie depositor sold for $5500.
- Ad AM Mfg Dial O Matic pie press went for $700.
- Mixers and mixer attachments had high sales, including a Hobart 80 quart mixer selling for $5500 and Hobart mixer bowls selling for up to $275 each.
Overall, high volume commodities like sheet pans, plus specialized bakery equipment and cake decorating supplies made up the significant sales drivers once the auction was complete.
Dinkel’s Bakery: A Century-Old Legacy Continues (1922-2021)
Since 1922, Dinkel’s Bakery served as a beacon of baked goods in Chicago, with recipes and traditions passed down through generations. Their closing marked the end of an era, but Grafe Auction’s role in their final auction helped bridge past and present, ensuring that Dinkel’s legacy would live on in the hands of new custodians. What was on the auction?
- A Full Scratch Bakery: Featuring rack ovens, dough mixers, dough sheeters, and divider/rounders, among others.
- Refrigerated Equipment: Including high-quality commercial refrigerators and freezers.
- Tables and Chairs: For those looking to recreate the cozy ambiance of Dinkel's Bakery.
- Memorabilia and Decor: An assortment of unique items that held sentimental value and carried the spirit of the bakery.
Read more about the auction for Dinkel's Bakery
Odeum Expo Center: A Venue of Versatility (1981-2021)
The Odeum Expo Center, since 1981, stood as a versatile venue for events as diverse as the community it served. It hosted a variety of special events including concerts, indoor soccer and other sports competitions, corporate events, automotive research, and public tradeshows. Each year, over 1.2 million visitors passed through the Odeum doors. With its doors shuttered, the auction of its assets allowed the memories and materials of countless expos and gatherings to disperse into the community it once gathered under its expansive roof (Wikipedia). Highlights of the auction included:
- 3 Complete Fields Worth of Soccer Field Turf
- Scoreboards, Sound Systems, Hockey Rink Boards,
- Event Necessities Such as Several Styles of Pipe and Drape
- Vintage Food Carts and Commercial Kitchen and Catering Equipment
- Memorabilia
Pheasant Run Resort: An Idyllic Escape Retires (1963-2021)
Pheasant Run Resort offered an escape into leisure and luxury since 1963. As it closed, Grafe Auction helped transition its elegant fixtures and furnishings to new destinations, ensuring the resort's story of relaxation and enjoyment would continue in different forms (Chicago Tribune). From ballrooms and food service areas, to a spa and even landscaping items, the massive auction with over 3,000 items spanned 5 days of auctions. Top-selling categories in the auctions were storage containers, vehicles/heavy equipment, hotel furniture, banquet supplies, and golf/grounds gear. A few unique items also popped up like custom TV props and neon signs. When a business is around for as long as Pheasant Run, unique items always end up on auction.
Blue Goose Market: The End of a Community Cornerstone (1928-2021)
In 1928, Annunciata “Nancy” Lencioni opened the Blue Goose Market and from then until it closed in 2021, it stood as a community staple in St. Charles, renowned for its local produce and personal touch. Its closure prompted a heartfelt farewell from the community it fed, with its fixtures and memories auctioned off, allowing pieces of its history to remain within the community it cherished (Patch, Facebook). Trending items included:
- Commercial refrigeration equipment and walk-ins were top sellers
- Bakery and beverage equipment sold well
- Specialized equipment like donut fryers and espresso machines indicate full-service food operations and went for $2,500 and $900, respectively
Conclusion
As we turn the pages of Chicagoland’s commercial history, we recognize that the closing of a business is not the end, but a transformation. Auctions serve as a conduit for the continuation of stories and the dissemination of heritage. At Grafe Auction, we take pride in offering these pieces of history new beginnings, celebrating the indelible mark these businesses have left on the heart of the Chicago area.
To partake in the next chapter of these historical items, or to entrust us with your business's legacy, contact us. Join us as we pay respect to the past and step forward into the future.
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