HR0757LRB103 40570 LAW 73154 r

1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3Representatives wish to congratulate Clark-Devon Hardware on
4the occasion of the 100th anniversary of its founding; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Originally, Clark-Devon Hardware was a small
6business purchased by a Russian immigrant named William
7Walchak in 1924; the business grew and moved until landing at
8its iconic location in 1985, a former movie theater with
9enough room for future growth, where it remains today; and
 
10    WHEREAS, Under the Walchak family's ownership, Clark-Devon
11Hardware played a key role in helping many immigrants
12establish themselves in Chicago, providing customers with the
13opportunity to meet people arriving from all over the world,
14and these same customers would continue to frequent the store
15when they became building engineers and property owners; the
16business has played and continues to play an essential role in
17preserving vital housing stock in Chicago; and
 
18    WHEREAS, Clark-Devon Hardware has long been a staple in
19Rogers Park and the larger Chicago area for being a one-stop
20shop for the ever-changing needs of property managers,
21maintenance workers, and small businesses, stocking items that
22may be hard to find or may no longer be available in wide

 

 

HR0757- 2 -LRB103 40570 LAW 73154 r

1circulation; and
 
2    WHEREAS, In 2023, when Clark-Devon Hardware owners Ed and
3Ken Walchak could not find buyers, they knew that they wanted
4to continue the legacy of and the community built around the
5store; they sold the business to their employees, some of whom
6were immigrants themselves, and have subsequently continued
7the business' heritage as a means to achieve the American
8dream; therefore, be it
 
9    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
10HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
11we congratulate Clark-Devon Hardware for its astounding 100
12years of service to Rogers Park and the City of Chicago; and be
13it further
 
14    RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be
15presented to Clark-Devon Hardware and its owners as an
16expression of our esteem and respect.