by Jean Murphy (fall 2021)
Happy 50th anniversary to Hearth & Home at 530 W. Northwest Highway in Mount Prospect and the O’Donnell family! H&H has a long and interesting history in this community.
Its founder Bob O’Donnell went into partnership to start the business with Dave Waldman in 1971 and they opened the doors in September that year. The O’Donnell family lived in Prospect Heights at the time.
“Both my father and his partner, Dave, were salesmen for Northern Illinois Gas Co.,” Pat O’Donnell, current president, explained. “They sold gas appliances, gas lights, gas grills, gas heaters, etc. for the sales department of the gas company. My father had worked there for almost 15 years when Northern Illinois Gas decided to eliminate their sales division. At that point both my father and Dave decided there would be a gas appliances market to address in the area and since they both had young families to support, they decided to go out on a limb and go into business together.”
The partners ran “OWL Appliance and Heating” (which stood for O’Donnell —- Waldman — and they went out on a Limb) until 1977 when Waldman died. They sold, installed and serviced gas fireplaces, gas logs, gas space heaters and gas ovens and cooktops. Wood-burning fireplaces were added soon afterward.
OWL was located at 15 W. Busse Avenue in the small triangle (across from Busse-Biermann Hardware) until 1980 when the Village began talking about redevelopment of that triangle.
After Dave died, Bob’s wife, Marilyn, stepped in to help with the books. Soon afterward, in December 1978, Bob’s son, Pat, graduated from St. Norbert College (DePere, WI) and while looking for a post-graduation job, he began working for his dad to earn some money.
“A neighbor of ours was an outdoor furniture sales representative and we were talking about my future and he talked about his industry. The idea of a career in a family business sounded intriguing to me. I then talked to my parents about adding outdoor furniture to our product mix and expanding and moving the business.”
So, in 1979, Pat formally joined the family business and the next year they moved to a larger space at 430 W. Northwest Highway, added patio furniture to their product line and changed the name to Hearth & Home Shoppe. Eight years later, in 1988, the O’Donnells bought the current building at 530 W. Northwest Highway, renovated it and moved there that April. Pat’s sister, Mary, also joined the business that year. In 2011, after five years in the banking industry, Ryan O’Donnell, the third generation, joined the business.
“Our future is in good hands,” Pat said.
Today they boast a staff of 15, including five family members – Pat and his sister, Mary Schappert (who are co-owners), Pat’s wife Anne, their son Ryan, and brother-in-law Ed Schappert.
Congratulations, Hearth & Home!