Today we’d like to introduce you to Barbara Lansing.
Barbara, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
For 60 years, Idlewood Electric has been the leading lighting showroom and electrical supply distributor throughout the Chicago area. As a third-generation, female-owned and operated company, our customers know that when they need anything lighting-related, we’re always here for them. We proudly offer superior customer service and outstanding quality products for our customers including homeowners, the trade community, electrical contractors and residential/commercial contractors.
Our state-of-the-art showroom features the latest lighting fixtures on the market coupled with the most recent advancements in LED technology and smart home gadgets. Our company was founded by my father, Isidore “Izzy” Scheinman in 1958 and our passion is driven by his belief that customer service is first and foremost. This foundation has built the framework of the company which has ingrained his principles and forward-thinking throughout our three Chicagoland locations.
Growing up in Brooklyn in the mid-1930’s, my dad channeled his entrepreneurial spirit and knack for anything electrical when he got his first job changing the light bulbs for the New York City Subway system.
Only a few years later, he enlisted in the United States Air Corps where he flew B-29’s over Japan as the crew’s engineer. He always said that if he made it out of the war alive, he wanted to live a quiet life out in the ‘country’ with a wife, a couple kids and a small electrical supply store. His dream came true when he opened Idlewood Electric in 1958 in Highland Park, IL.
Idlewood Electric moved to its flagship location on Skokie Valley Road in 1970 and over the years, our square footage grew to 10,000 sq. ft. This gave us the opportunity to showcase thousands of lights on display for our customers. Unable to expand any wider or higher in Highland Park, we opened our Barrington location in 1996 and soon after, we acquired our Chicago location in 2000.
Idlewood is known for our state-of-the-art lighting galleries featuring well-known brands such as Visual Comfort & Co., Schonbek, Hubbardton Forge, Hudson Valley and Hinkley Lighting. Many lighting options highlight the latest in LED technology and styles ranging from traditional to modern and everything in between. On our showroom floor, you can find chandeliers, pendants, wall sconces, floor and table lamps, landscape lighting, dimmers, ceiling fans, home-shading solutions, home accessories, light bulbs and more.
Idlewood’s Electrical Supply Division serves our residential and commercial contractors and electricians throughout the Chicagoland area. The team works with premier manufacturers such as Juno Lighting, Lutron, Cooper/Eaton, Siemens and GE, many of which have been lines carried by Idlewood for over 30 years.
Our success is due in large part to incredibly loyal customers and our dedicated employees. We pride ourselves on providing outstanding customer service and top quality products day in and day out. One of the most rewarding parts of our day is when we have multi-generational customers visit our showroom. Since being in business for 60 years, we have often helped parents 20-30 years ago with their home lighting and now, their kids are moving to the suburbs and looking for lighting for their new home.
Often times, they will bring their young children to the showroom and it’s a full-circle moment for us knowing that we have been a constant in their lives for all these years.
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?
Starting a business with only 6 employees in 1958 to employing over 100 people today has taken an enormous amount of time, dedication and passion from our growing team. The biggest struggles along the way have been handling the changes in the economy and how it impacts our customers and employees.
In the downturn of 2008/2009, our business went through a trying time as builders were not building and homeowners weren’t looking to spend money on decorative lighting. While this was a difficult time for our entire country and almost every industry, I didn’t want to lose any of our valued employees because everyone was experiencing hardships in one way or another.
We decreased the number of hours and days employees worked, but still had them a part of the team so that they could continue receiving a paycheck and benefits. I’m proud to say that we did not lay off a single employee during the downturn. Once the market started up again, we were able to slowly boost back hours and days for our staff.
Our team weathered the storm together and as an extended family, we were able to come out stronger and more appreciative of the business on the other end. Our showroom is continuously evolving and remaining at the forefront of the latest trends and technologies. As the internet and home centers prove to be larger competitors in recent years, we continuously address the changing landscape of buyer’s personalities and how we can stand out among the rest.
Our goal is to provide outstanding customer service to our customers from the moment they walk into our showroom to the time they are taking a photo of their beautiful chandelier over their dining room table. We know that people have a choice where they select their lighting and electrical supplies and we are very grateful that our customers choose Idlewood.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Idlewood Electric – what should we know?
Our business has been providing lighting and electrical supplies to customers in the Chicagoland area for 60 years and we continue to do so for the next 60 years! The company started in 1958 by my father and the business has been a part of who I am for my entire life. As a young girl, I cleaned the toilets, made coffee and shined the crystals. As a teenager, I worked in the showroom learning about lighting, the manufacturers we carry and creating relationships with our customers.
While I studied Social Work in college and earned my M.S. and M.S.W., I was able to translate those inter-personal skills when I entered into the business full-time in 1985. As CEO, I oversee all 3 of our branches, including both the lighting and electrical supply division. Idlewood has been known for carrying the best lighting selection in the Chicagoland area paired with exceptional customer service and knowledgeable sales associates who genuinely understand and appreciate lighting.
I am most proud of our company’s longevity which is attributable directly to our dedicated employees and loyal customer base. What makes Idlewood tick is our enthusiastic team helping homeowners, designers and contractors find the fixtures they need for their home or commercial projects. Over the years, we have created and maintained long-lasting relationships with our customers, which we value enormously. Our customers know that we are dedicated to them, striving to always provide the best pricing with top quality products and excellent customer services.
I am also very proud to say that our business became a third-generation company when my two daughters entered the business nearly four years ago. It’s been an incredible learning experience for all of us. While I learn about the digital world and a younger buyer’s perspective from them, they have the opportunity to learn about the inner-workings of the business from myself and my colleagues who have been in the industry for over 30 years.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
Throughout the years, the most important contributor to our success has been the relationships we have built with our customers. Our customers breathe life into our business every day and we value each customer immensely. Many of our customers have been shopping at Idlewood for decades and we have gotten to know them, along with their families. We have had the opportunity to work with second and third generations of customers over the years, which is incredibly rewarding within itself.
The relationships we have with our customers have helped us evolve into the business we are today. Our customers are ultimately the pulse of the market. Their insights, compliments, suggestions and even criticisms have allowed us to find ways to grow and improve to best service to them. With an ever-changing retail and e-commerce landscape, our customer relationships are unparalleled as we remain a reliable business providing top quality products, exceptional product knowledge and excellent customer service.
Pricing:
- Typical Project Costs: $100 – $10,000 (depends on project size)
Contact Info:
- Address: 114 Skokie Valley Road Highland Park, IL 60035
317 W. Northwest Highway Barrington, IL 60010
5010 W. Irving Park Road Chicago, IL 60641 - Website: www.idlewoodelectric.com
- Phone: 8478313600
- Email: idlewood@idlewoodelectric.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/idlewoodelectric/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IdlewoodElectricSupply/
Image Credit:
Newgard Custom Homes
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