Carlson Paint, Glass & Art Store Celebrates 100 Years in Wheaton

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Photo credit: DuPage Historical Museum website

Carlson Paint, Glass & Art Store is celebrating 100 years in Wheaton this year.

Today, the business, located at 111 E. Front St., is run by third and fourth generations of the Carlson family with nine family members currently involved in the business, said Keith Carlson in an e-mail.

The business was opened in a farm on Front Street in 1915 by Anton and Lydia Carlson, immigrants from Sweden. At the time, Lydia would tend to the store with her baby, William, in her arms and Anton would run paint and wallpaper supplies to customer job sites on his bike, Keith Carlson said.

The Great Depression almost forced the business to close, but the Anton and Lydia were able to continue operating their shop thanks to money Lydia had kept hidden in their bed post.

“Through hard work and determination, the business survived,” Keith Carlson said.

After World War II the business, which at the time was run by Anton and Lydia and their two sons, Richard and William, expanded. The family added paint and art stores in Wheaton and surrounding communities. In the 1960s, the glass and mirror division was created. The business, over the years, also became a leader in customer picture framing and art supplies, Keith Carlson said.

In 1963, a fire swept through three of the family’s four downtown Wheaton store fronts, according to William Carlson’s obituary. The family opened for business the next day with a sign in the remaining store’s front window reading, “down but not out.”

Today, Carlsons runs its art supply store at 111 E. Front Street. The store is also the location for the business’s framing headquarters and main accounting office and sells house paint, wallpaper and blinds. A glass store at 312 E. Front St. sells glass, mirrors, table tops, shelves, shower doors and offers window and screen repair. In addition, the Carlsons run a TruValue Hardware store at 125 E. Front St.

The family also has a store in Lombard that sells art supplies, beads and offers framing services.

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