Following the closure of Beidelman Furniture in April, the business’s building is now under new ownership, having recently been bought by Naperville-based commercial real estate firm Ellsworth Partners in partnership with its investors.
The company closed on the 17,750-square-foot property at 235-239 S. Washington St. in mid-May for $3.75 million, according to Naperville native Matt Calvo, co-founder of Ellsworth Partners.
“We are always looking to acquire assets, and [Beidelman Furniture] is right in the heart of downtown Naperville. The presence downtown is a big reason why we pursued it,” said Calvo.
Retail and restaurant plans for the former furniture store
Ellsworth Partners will manage the three-story building and plans to lease it for retail or restaurant use.
There is a chance for multiple tenants to occupy the building, Calvo said, or just one business with a “strong presence.”
“That’s certainly one of the options, maybe a large user. Beidelman Furniture was a user of all three floors for the better part of a century, so maybe a similar strong operator,” he said.
He added that while they have talked with some potential tenants, “all discussions at this point are very early stages,” seeing as they only recently acquired the property.
History of Beidelman Furniture
At the time of its closure, Beidelman Furniture, a 165-year-old family-owned business, was the oldest business in DuPage County and the oldest furniture store in Illinois.
It was most recently run by fourth-generation owner Lana Heitmanek and her daughter Katy, who announced the closing on April 16, citing rising operating costs.
Heitmanek’s great-great-uncle Fred Long established the business in 1861, and it had been located at the corner of Washington Street and Jackson Avenue since 1863. The building’s workshop was where Peter Kroehler of Kroehler Manufacturing Company learned his trade.
Its current Collegiate Gothic-style structure was erected in 1928 and notably has the first elevator in Naperville. Nearly a century later, in 2024, the store was designated as a landmark by the city of Naperville and its Historic Preservation Commission.
New owners hope to restore original second and third-floor windows
In preparation for tenants, Ellsworth Partners plans to make improvements to the nearly 100-year-old building, with one focus being to open up its original second and third-floor windows, which have been covered by bricks since the 1970s, according to Calvo
However, due to the landmark status, any changes to the building’s facade need to be approved by city officials.
“We’ve engaged with an architect and plan to get drawings and bring it to the city and the Historic Preservation Commission to make sure we can do what we’re envisioning here, which is restore the windows and get it primed and ready for a high-end retail or restaurant operator,” said Calvo.
Additional improvements are planned for the building’s plumbing and HVAC systems and elevator.
Ellsworth Partners adds new building to portfolio
With the acquisition, Beidelman Furniture is the ninth building in the portfolio for Ellsworth Partners, a family business founded and operated by Calvo and his father.
Calvo said their goal with the new space is to improve the downtown area while maintaining the integrity of the landmark.
“We want to respect the history there. We’re Naperville people,” he said.
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