The History of Abt

To celebrate Abt's 86th anniversary, this video tells our company's story from the very beginning in 1936. Amid the Great Depression, Dave and Jewel Abt had a dream to open their very own business with only $800. Their dream came true when they opened their first store on Milwaukee Avenue in Chicago. Since then, Abt has seen exponential growth in both our company and our amazing customer loyalty. In the 90s, Abt expanded the store until we eventually opened our new headquarters in 2002. By 2021, 400,000 feet had been added to our warehouse in order to house more high-quality products for our customers. That same year, we also opened our Recycle Center, where local users can get rid of packaging and old electronics and appliances they no longer need in the most environmentally friendly way possible. In this video, you get a special look at old black & white photographs and footage, news interviews with Bob Abt, as well as modern videos of our talented sales staff and expansive showroom. This video acts as an inspiring time capsule for all those who are unfamiliar with Abt's rich history and deep family values, as members of the family still manage the company today.