By Moe Lastfogel Director of Sales and Marketing for The Retail Observer ![]() I personally spoke with Bob Abt only once, years ago when we took over The Retail Observer, but from that conversation and from what people have told me, he was a highly admired man. Since I can’t write about him personally to give him the credit deserved, I pulled these words from the Chicago Tribune in commemoration of his life. Bob Abt, CEO of Abt Electronics and known as a Chicago retail legend who guided the company through the rise and decline of national competitors such as Circuit City and Best Buy, has died at age 77. Abt died after struggling with cancer for the past three years, according to a company spokesman, and despite his illness still went into the Abt megastore in Glenview every day until about a month before he passed and was still calling the store and checking emails. “Bob Abt not only ran a successful business but also set a standard for customer service and business integrity that other business owners in Chicago and beyond aspire to,” said Steve Bernas, CEO of the Better Business Bureau of Chicago and Northern Illinois, who knew Abt for more than 20 years. “We often forget how important family owned and operated business is to this country. I salute you and all the companies like you. RIP Bob.” Bob Abt was raised in Chicago. He graduated from the University of Florida in Gainesville and served in the military. He was married to his wife, Alice, for 54 years. After his parents started the Abt store, Bob Abt began working in the family business part time in 1953 and then full time in 1962. The store moved many times and now stands in its current location in Glenview. We at The Retail Observer send Bob Abt’s family and loved ones our heartfelt condolences. Respectfully, Moe Lastfogel [email protected]
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By Eliana Barriga Publisher and Managing Editor for The Retail Observer ![]() The easy breezy days of summer are behind us. Time to re-establish our routines, re-organize our business and well, get things done. The question is, why do we ever stop moving forward and progressing? Yes–I believe in a balanced life with time for work and play. However, I know the difference between “slowing down” and “stopping”. And the heady consequences of the latter. The main character, Billy “The Great” Hope, in the boxing movie Southpaw, is a great example of someone who had many obstacles placed before him, but continued moving forward. If he had stopped, and given in to the hardships and his ego, who knows if he would have ever been able to find a way out. Instead, because he embraced these challenges, humbled himself and kept it moving; he was able to find a way through. In that same light, I recently made a commitment to my health and kicked my workouts up a notch with the help of a personal trainer. Unfortunately, after the first week, I sustained a minor injury that slowed down my progress. Notice that I used the words “slowed down” rather than “stopped”. Stopping is precisely what I would have done in the past. Getting hurt would mean the end to my workout routine altogether. Then I would spend weeks, months or even years getting back what I lost. So this time, I may have to wait to start running again but that doesn’t mean I can’t walk or get creative and find other forms of exercise so I can stick to my routine and continue reaping the benefits of my hard work and commitment. We all have areas of our lives and business that get hard. However, in the bigger scheme of things, it is always better to keep up the momentum than to stop and get swept away by our challenges. Until next time, keep it movin’! Eliana Barriga [email protected] |
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December 2021
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