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Meet Michael Abt of Abt Electronics in Glenview

Today we’d like to introduce you to Michael Abt.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Michael. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I began working in our Warehouse in 1976. I would set up TVs and tune in the stations.

I began full time in 1989 after leaving medical school. I was on my way out west when I stopped off at Abt with my old girlfriend who understood computers and we helped install a computer system at the store. She did the work and I got the credit. I have been working at Abt full time since then.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
We started during the depression. We lived through a World War and many others. We lived through many other retailers that have come and gone. We once had a small fire that shut us down for 1 day but other than that we have never closed or had a layoff.

Abt Electronics – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Abt was founded in 1936 when Jewel Abt gave her husband David $800 to start a business. Abt began as a small store with only three employees in the Logan Square neighborhood of Chicago. Abt has since grown to become one of the largest independent single-store appliance and electronics retailers in the country sprawled out on 37 acres in Glenview, IL, and employing a staff of over 1,500 experts.

Today, Abt carries tens of thousands of products in a variety of categories including appliances/custom kitchens, gourmet cooking, home comfort (HVAC, power generators and sump pumps), TV and A/V, computers, watches, fitness, and more – many of which are introduced at Abt before gaining widespread distribution.

In addition to its 100,000 square-foot showroom, Abt features its own mini-mall, with boutique shops such as Apple, Bang & Olufsen, Tumi, Dylan’s Candy and more. Other highlights and attractions include a 7,500-gallon salt-water aquarium that’s used to demonstrate the image quality of the store’s wide selection of cameras and camcorders, and an atrium with an elegant fountain, which evokes the famed Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas, Bob Abt’s inspiration for the design.

Abt has technical in-house staff that handles repairs, installation, and service issues. Each member of the Abt service team is recognized by the store’s manufacturers as having superior repair knowledge and skills. Abt ensures that all members of the team undergo continuous training in order to provide superior electronics and appliance repair service.

Despite being an independent retailer among an industry of big box stores, Abt has continued to build a loyal customer base and has impressively grown its business every year since its inception. Abt credits its success to staying true to the family values and dedication to customer service on which it was founded. Abt remains a family run business today as third – and fourth -generation family members work on the store’s floor.

Abt has gained a nationwide presence through its e-commerce site Abt.com, which was launched in 1997 as one of a handful of authorized online retailers for brands such as Sony, Panasonic, Toshiba, Bose and Onkyo. Similar to the in-store shopping experience, Abt.com provides consumers with unparalleled customer service, shopping ease and quality product offerings. Shoppers enjoy free shipping on thousands of products on Abt.com, which ships to all 50 states.

For over 81 years, Abt has demonstrated excellence in the retail industry by distinguishing itself with a commitment to delivering complete customer satisfaction, a highly trained and passionate staff, and dedication to fair pricing.

This helps make them feel that they are part of the Abt family. We’re able to do this because we keep every aspect of our business in-house. People will tell you that outsourcing is cheaper but not when it comes at the expense of quality.

We have our own drivers, servicemen, repairmen, gas station, woodshop and solar panels, and we even have our own backup generator. So, if something goes wrong — and in real life things can go wrong — we have someone right there to fix it or make it right. Our builders can make a custom stand for a television or a panel to help a refrigerator look nice if the space around it is too big.

Not only does this save money and time because we don’t have to track down contractors when something goes wrong, but it also maintains our reputation for excellent service and keeps customers coming back.

The proof is in the numbers and in the multiple awards we have won over the years — the Better Business Bureau’s Award for Market Place Ethics in 2017, Chicago’s Top Workplaces in 2016 and Top Places to Shop in the 2016 Consumer Reports magazine, to name a few. In 2016, our revenues grew 7% while revenues at other electronics companies declined

What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
Working with my family and being rated as the number one appliance store by Consumer Reports for 9 years. We were also rated the best electronic store this year by Consumer Reports

Contact Info:

  • Address: 1200 Milwaukee Rd, Glenview, IL
  • Website: www.abt.com
  • Phone: 8479678830

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