Our History

   

The Promise of A Far Off Land
In 1883 Carl Jacob Abrahamson and his wife Erika Matilda, with their five children set out for the United States. They settled on a farm near the City of Sycamore, IL. Later they moved to a farm near St. Charles where Carl soon retired.

Eric Marcus Abrahamson
In 1901 after completing schooling he rejoined his father working on the farm. He met and soon married Margaret H. Powers. She was 22 years old when she married Eric.

 
  In The Beginning
Eric saw a need to serve his fellow farmers. He began selling household goods from his wagon. In 1902 he opened his first general store. He called it simply E. M. Abrahamson's. On August 29, 1906 Eric's wife Margarette gave birth to their daughter. They named her Irene M. Abrahamson. On December 26, 1949 Eric Marcus Abrahamson died at the age of 77. He left behind his wife, 43 year old daughter and her husband Lester Carlson.

 
 

The Next Generation
For many years Lester and Irene had worked closely with Eric. But by the standards of the day they were young to be taking on such a responsibility. With three children they already had their hands full.

  Following in the Families' Footsteps
Margaret Marie Carlson named after her Grandmother was not the most likely successor; but was the most determined. Born in May of 1931 she attended St. Charles High School. After finishing school she worked for the DuKane Corporation. With the death of her Grandfather she was drawn home to help the family.   In 1953 she married Wallace A. Swanson Jr. They settled in Wasco Illinois. Wally worked for the post office in St. Charles. In 1954 Lester and Irene were blessed with their first Grandchild. Margaret gave birth to Jeffrey Mark Swanson. Soon after Wally was asked to begin working for Abrahamson's.
  The Country Progressed...
And So Did Abrahamson's
As the rural community grew and progressed so did Abrahamson's. In 1967 with Lester in poor health Wally and Margaret became the third generation to own Abrahamson's.
By 1962 Wally and Margaret had three sons of their own. Jeff, John and Tom. Over the years; they too would work for the company. As with Eric before him, in 1991 Wally suddenly passed away. Leaving the business to his wife Margaret and their three sons.
  The Challenge Ahead
Margaret had the challenge of her life ahead of her. Not being one to give up, she pressed on, but at the age of 60 she knew she would have many tough days ahead. From 1991 to 1995 she ran the business. With help from her oldest son Jeffrey; she kept the company pointed in the right direction. In December 1995 Margaret decided that she wanted to retire.

Enter Generation Four
In December Margaret sold the company to Jeff and his wife Cindy. Having worked for Abrahamson's for many years, Jeff at the  age of 41 and wife Cindy were now the fourth generation owners.
  The needs and desires of the ever changing community continue to expand  along with technology. Abrahamson's  continues today as it had in the past; keeping up with the latest advances and training staff  to meet their customers needs.
  "Service is the only thing we have to sell"

"Show the customer you care and you will have a friend for life"

"The product is no better than the guy you bought it from. If he can't fix it, it's not worth what you paid for it"

"We don't sell things, we educate our customers as to what is available, allowing them to make an informed decision"

 
  These are just a few of the things Jeff instills in his employees. Although we are are over 100 years old, every day you must do your best. More than just words, Jeff lives this and continues to weave this into the daily operations of Abrahamson's. As generations have found for years; you have a trusted friend in Abrahamson's.