APPLIANCES AND OTHER NEAT SCHTUFF...
815-637-8676
ABOUT US
THE HISTORY OF AL GRACE
ALPHONSO J. GRACEFFA(a.k.a. AL GRACE) WAS BORN DECEMBER 4, 1918 IN ARAGONA, SICILY. AT THE YOUNG AGE OF TEN, HE AND HIS MOTHER TOOK THE LONG BOAT RIDE TO AMERICA WHERE HIS FATHER,LOUIS, WAS WAITING FOR THEM. THE FAMILY CHOSE THE MANUFACTURING TOWN OF ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS TO CALL HOME WHERE HE STILL RESIDES TODAY.
AL GRACE, HIS MOM ROSALIE, AND MURPHY
WHILE IN HIGH SCHOOL, AL DECIDED TO JOIN THE BAND. HE HAD LEARNED TO PLAY CLARINET IN SICILY. AFTER GRADUATING FROM ROCKFORD HIGH SCHOOL, AL GRACE STARTED HIS OWN BAND BUT BEFORE HE MADE IT BIG, WORLD WAR II STARTED AND AL RECEIVED HIS INVITATION. MR. GRACE DIDNT HAVE TO GO FAR. HE WAS STATIONED AT CAMP GRANT IN ROCKFORD WHICH WAS A MAJOR TRAINING BASE FOR THE ARMY. DUE TO HIS MUSICAL BACKGROUND, HE WAS GIVEN A VERY "POPULAR" JOB AS A BUGLER AND WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR WAKING THE TROOPS AT FIVE A.M. LUCKILY, NEVER HAVING TO LEAVE THE COUNTRY AL GRACE PLAYED IN THE MILITARY BAND FOR THE USO. WHEN THE WAR ENDED IN 1945, HE WAS PLAYING AT DEWITT MILITARY HOSPITAL IN SACREMENTO CA, PROVIDING ENTERTAINMENT FOR THE WOUNDED SOLDIERS RETURNING FROM WAR.
AFTER RETURNING HOME FOR THE WAR, AL GRACE TOOK A JOB AT WILSON ELECTRIC FOR TEN CENTS AN HOUR. WHILE EMPLOYED THERE, HE WAS TAUGHT ELECTRICAL AND APPLIANCE SERVICE. HE REMAINED THERE FOR 20 YEARS. SINCE HE WAS WORKING DURING THE DAY, AL WAS STILL ABLE TO KEEP HIS ORCHESTRA GOING BY PLAYING VARIOUS SOCIAL FUNCTIONS, WEDDINGS AND DANCES.
AFTER TWENTY YEARS AT WILSON ELECTRIC, AL DECIDED TO GO INTO THE SERVICE BUSINESS ON HIS OWN. IN 1965, HE PURCHASED HIS FIRST BUILDING ON 9TH ST. FOR $9000.00. AFTER A FEW YEARS, HIS BUSINESS STARTED TO FLOURISH. IN 1971, HIS OLDEST SON, LOUIS, CAME TO HELP AL WITH HIS RAPIDLY GROWING BUSINESS. IN 1974, AL DECIDED THAT ALONG WITH SERVICE, HE WOULD SELL NEW APPLIANCES AS WELL. THIS ADDED A WHOLE NEW ASPECT TO HIS ALREADY PROMINENT BUSINESS. DUE TO THE SUCCESS OF THIS NEW VENTURE, AL'S SON-IN-LAW, BRAD BORN, JOINED THE RANKS OF AL GRACE APPLIANCE IN 1976.
AL GRACE APPLIANCE REMAINED ON 9TH ST. FOR 33 YEARS. DUE TO A SUCCESSFUL REPUTATION FOR SALES AND SERVICE, AL DECIDED TO MOVE HIS BUSINESS IN 1999 TO THE CURRENT LOCATION OF 811 W. RIVERSIDE BLVD. BY DOING THIS, HE COULD COMBINE SALES, SERVICE AND RECONDITIONED APPLIANCES AND ALSO INCREASE HIS WAREHOUSE SPACE FOR A HIGHER VOLUME OF INVENTORY. IN SEPTEMBER OF 2003, AL'S GRANDSON-AARON GRACE, JOINED HIS GRANDFATHER AND FATHER AT AL GRACE APPLIANCE TO CARRY ON HIS GRANDFATHER'S TRADITION OF EXCELLENT SALES AND SERVICE THAT WAS STARTED OVER 40 YEARS AGO. STILL PART OF THE FAMILY RUN BUSINESS TRADITION, AL CAN BE FOUND AT THE STORE MOST DAYS.
