.. L..!.!.....!.....!.!.!!...........!......................................R Grayson Enterpr!ses Ltd. First North American Seria! Rights '® Copyrighô Graysoî Enterpriseó Ltd#®                                   é Approximate!y 2,000 words 1 Page # i THE SEVEN A#RE MUS#UM An American Success Story Written by June Grayson Photographs by Richard Grayson Don'ô te!ì thå Larrù Don!eù familù yoõ can'ô makå á fortunå iî      Americá today® They'rå doinç iô anä theù saù thaô anyonå can®      Moreover¬ they'rå doinç iô thå gooä olä Americaî waù - witè harä      work¬ common sense, and integrity. Horatio Alger wou!d be proud. They'vå bui!ô á mu!ti-mi!!ioî do!!aò antiquå businesó anä      entertainmenô comp!eø iî northerî I!!inoió durinç thå !asô 1² yearó      anä they make it a!! sound like fun and games. Iæ yoõ likå á three-rinç circus¬ you'!¡ !ovå thå Seveî Acreó      Museuí and its adjoining Antique Vi!!age and Vi!!age . Hal!. Open seven days a week from Apri! lst to November lst, Š.PA Š .. L.....!!.....!...................................!.................R #even Acres, GEL, page 2 iô maù bå thå onlù onå oæ thå hundreä simi!aò antiquå vi!!agå reconstructionó tï offeò á jam-packeä entertainmenô schedule¬ especiallù oî weekends. Thougè thå underlyinç themå ió o!ä America¬ yoõ don'ô neeä tï bå intï antiqueó tï havå fun® Indeed¬ theiò mosô populaò year!ù evenô ió thå 300-pounä pig-wrest!inç contesô helä everù July¬ witè plentù oæ trophies for the vo!unteer participants. Memoria¡ Daù weekendó repeated!ù attracô thå biggesô crowds® Somå out-of-statå familieó returî year!ù anä staù aô á nearbù trai!eò park® Armeä anä uniformeä troopó perforí !ivå oî á rea!istiã outdooò batt!efie!ä durinç theså "Mi!itarù Days"¬ therå ió aî associateä Militarù Co!!ectib!eó Salå iî thå Vil!agå Hall¬ anä thå Museuí featureó itó outstandinç permanenô Militarù Re!icó exhibit® Kiä games¬ fasô foods¬ barbeques¬ anä beverageó abound® Anä iæ alì oæ thió patriotiã fervoò makeó yoõ wanô tï en!ist¬ thå Il!inoió Nationaì Guarä anä thå U® S® Armù recruiteró wi!ì bå therå tï assisô you. Otheò featureä recurrenô eventó arå aî internationaì Antiquå Phonograpè anä Musiã Boø Sho÷ anä Salå witè 12° exhibitors¬ (somå froí Japaî anä Austra!ia)¬ aî Antiquå Caò Show¬ Civiì Waò Days¬ á reaì midwesô Corî Fest¬ anä á Jesså Jameó Banë Raid® Hugå circuó tentó caî bå quickly erected to hand!e overf!ow crowds. If you hate crowds, weekdays are the time to visit. Š .PA Š .. L...!...........................................!.....!...............R Seven Ac/page .. Besides the military exhibit, the indoor Museum has an outstanding phonograph, music box, and music machine exhibit, i a Street of Yesteryear with old time stores and offices, anä - wheî yoõ anä thå kidó arå tireä - á freå moviå theateò featurinç olä timå films. Walë ouô thå Museum'ó bacë dooò intï thå courtyarä oæ thå Antiquå Villagå witè itó o!ä timå jailhouse¬ authentiã hanginç gallows¬ icå creaí parlor¬ anä more® Bencheó seô amiä colorfuì summeò plantingó invitå yoõ tï enjoù á Ieisurelù daù oæ browsinç anä remembering® Ridå thå ponieó anä stagecoach® Whooð iô uð witè thå dailù afternooî Wilä Wesô Sho÷ wherå thå gooä guyó alwayó win® Onå modesô admissioî feå coveró alì entertainment. Obvio##ly¬ thió successfuì amusemenô parë diä noô appeaò ful!b!owî onå daù iî thå northerî I!!inoió cornfie!ds® Ho÷ diä iô geô therå anä whï arå L. C. Don!ey & Sons, Inc., its promotors? Thougè á slicå oæ Americana¬ Seveî Acreó haä itó genesió wheî sturdù immigrantó froí Czechos!ovakiá anä Ire!anä sett!eä iî Berwyn¬ á southwesô suburâ oæ Chicago¬ sometimeó knowî aó "littlå Bohemia"¬ anä carveä thå gooä lifå foò themselveó oî thå basió oæ lovå oæ church¬ fami!y¬ anä harä work® Theù passeä theså valueó oî tï thå childreî anä grandchi!dren who own Seven Acres. Larry Donley says, "When I was young my Dad told me I .PA Š .. L...!!............................!............................R Seven Acres, GEL, page 4 haä tï worë 1¶ houró á day® One-thirä oæ thå daù waó foò working¬ one-th#rä foò slee#ing¬ anä one-thirä foò playinç - buô thå worë camå first® Bù thå timå É waó smarô enougè tï figurå ouô thaô á daù onlù haó 2´ houró É waó hooked® I'vå beeî workinç 1¶ houró á day ever since." Wheî Larry¬ agå 20¬ anä Helene¬ agå 16¬ marrieä iî 195± theù alreadù haä severaì jobs® Hå waó á gaó statioî attendant¬ janitor¬ anä landscaper¬ anä shå waó á waitresó anä bookkeeper® Iî twï yearó theù owneä theiò firsô businesó - wheî Larrù boughô ouô thå gaó statioî owner® Helenå diä thå bookkeepinç anä careä foò theiò sons Mike, now 32, and RAndy, now 30. Iî thå Fifties¬ everù gaó statioî haä tï havå aî antiquå caò parkeä aô thå fronô curâ aó aî advertisinç gimmick® Larrù wanteä one¬ toï (á Modeì Ô Ford© buô hå couldn'ô afforä tï buù it® Nï probleí - hå jusô scroungeä foò it® Chicagï sti!¡ haä Maxwelì Street¬ onå oæ thå wor!d'ó greatesô fleá markets¬ wherå anythinç waó foò salå iæ yoõ !ookeä lonç enough® Randù remembers¬ "Everù Sundaù Daä woulä wakå uó uð beforå dawî anä we'ä bå dowî oî Maxwe!± Streeô bù 6.0° a.m.¬ iî timå foò thå besô bargains.¢ Sooî Larrù haä alì thå #artó tï builä hió owî Modeì T® Ford® Thió samå Forä haó á placå oæ honoò iî theiò antiquå village today. Iî retrospect¬ thaô maù havå beeî thå starô oæ whaô Larry'ó familù fondlù calló hió "antiquå pox¢ - aî incurab!å diseaså Ševidenceä bù an irresistible urge to col!ect. .PA Š .. L...!!.............................!..........................R Seven Acres, GEL, pag 5 Larrù rememberó hió seconä acquisitioî vividlù becauså iô waó thå starô oæ theiò presenô world-famouó musiã anä phonograpè collectionº aî Edisoî turntab!å anä horn® Iô cosô $5.0° becauså iô waó broken® Agaiî nï probleí - Larrù coulä repaiò anything. Sooî hió gaó statioî customeró discovereä thaô Larrù woulä tradå theiò attiã itemó foò hió caò repairs® Iî thoså days¬ peoplå werå sti!! throwing gorgeous Victorian lamps out in the trash. Randù remembers¬ "Hå didn'ô havå anù !onç rangå plans¬ hå neveò dreameä wå woulä havå whaô wå havå herå today¬ hå jusô likeä tï buù anä fiø thingó - buô therå waó onå thinç hå wou!ä neveò do¡ Hå wou!d never se!l." Wheî therå waó nï morå storagå rooí iî thå gaó station¬ Larrù boughô olä truckó anä parkeä theí behinä hió bui!ding® Thå citù fatheró objected® Theù saiä thå truckó werå aî eyesore® Eventually Larry and Helene bought their own warehouse. Mikå gre÷ uð tï becomå á moviå projectionisô anä Randù woî á collegå footbalì scholarship® Hå ruineä hió anklå thå firsô year® "Mù fo!kó wou!ä havå paiä mù waù buô whù wou!ä É wanô tï gï tï collegå iæ É couldn'ô p!aù footba!l¿ Foò surå É didn'ô wanô tï study." Witè RAndù homå again¬ Larry¬ Helene¬ Mike¬ anä Randù helä familù conferences. "We wanted to start a small family .PA Š .. L...!!............................!............................R Seven Acres, GEL, page 6 businesó witè growtè potential® Thå mosô successfuì businesseó wå kne÷ werå thoså wherå families#stucë togetheò anä workeä foò £ commoî goal," Randy explains. Afteò visitinç aî antiquå vi!!agå iî Wisconsin¬ theù decideä tï starô á simi!aò businesó witè theiò warehouså inventory® Theù formeä L® C® Don!eù ¦ Sonó Amusemenô Enterpriseó Inc® anä iî 197³ boughô seveî acreó oæ farí lanä wesô oæ Chicagï jusô ofæ thå I-9° to!!way® Thougè theù !ateò addeä morå !and¬ theù kepô thå origina¡ name® Theù hopeä thaô enougè Chicagï areá familieó wou!ä drivå one£ houò tï á ne÷ amusemenô attractioî tï makå theiò businesó successfu!. Theù starteä immediatå constructioî oæ thå maiî bui!ding¬ firsô finishinç ofæ á smalì apartmenô wherå RAndù cou!ä !ivå tï superviså thå work® Tï keeð alì oæ theiò optionó open¬ Mikå kepô hió joâ anä Helenå anä Larrù continueä tï livå iî Berwyî anä ruî thå gaó station® Buô theù alì spenô theiò sparå timå aô thå ne÷ location. Thå museuí openeä iî August¬ 1974¬ stockeä witè thå treasureó Larrù haä collecteä anä repaireä oveò thå precedinç 2° years® Eighô thousanä peop!å attendeä thå firsô month® Laughó Randy¬ "Wå cou###'ô believå it® Nonå oæ uó kne÷ whaô wå werå doing® Wå madå sï manù mistakeó anä wasteä sï mucè money¬ especiallù oî advertising, that many times we almost quit." Š No÷ theù kno÷ thaô theiò mosô effectivå advertisinç ió theiò w#î 6,00° customer mai!ing list, supplemented by news-   - .PA Š .. L..!!!..........................!......................!................R _ _   Seven Acres, GEL, pa#e 7 paper and ma#azine artic!es. Thaô winteò theù workeä non-stoð tï readù thå Antiquå Villagå foò thå 197µ season® Theù c!oså everù yeaò durinç Decembeò anä January£ sincå then. A!ì oæ theiò exhibitó camå froí Larry'ó ec!ectiã hoards® Theù boughô onlù one outside col!ection - to stock the blacksmith shop. Iî 1979¬ fina!!ù confidenô oæ thå succesó oæ Seveî Acres¬ Larrù anä Helenå solä thå servicå statioî anä theiò Berwyî home® Theù no÷ livå iî á nearby farmhouse. Sincå theù stilì haä antiqueó thaô diä noô fiô their£ museuí format¬ theù remode!ed a building #### ##djacen##'#Union for an antique .ma!! in 1980. They keep one shop and rent tï siø otheò antiquå dea!ers® Theù a!sï sel¡ aô areá antiquå shows® Larrù anä Randù arå qualifieä antiquå appraisers¬ gaininç alì oæ theiò knowledgå oæ antiqueó througè theiò on-the-joâ training® "Surprisingly,¢ Randù says, "our greatest profits now come from the antique business." Observinç thaô theù needeä anotheò bui!dinç foò meetingó anä antiquå shows¬ theù bui!ô th#Villagå Halì iî 1981¬ witè bar¬ dancå floor¬ anä seatinç foò 400® Locaì organizationó caî renô iô foò conventions¬ RAndù scheduleó Fridaù nighô polká oò rock-and-rol¡ dances¬ anä somå !uckù fami!ieó can even snare a free SAturday night for their wedding receptions - .PA Š .. L...!!.............................!...........................R Seven Acres, GEL, page 8 if they p!an a year in advance. Randù attributeó theiò succesó tï theiò gooä reputations® "Sincå wå don'ô livå oî á tourisô path¬ wå can'ô operatå á rip- off® Wå depenä oî repeaô businesó anä somå oæ ouò familieó comå severaì timeó á year¬ yeaò afteò year® Aó foò ouò antiques¬ wå a!wayó givå honesô appraisa!s¬ consistenô witè á faiò profiô foò uó lateò on.¢ Theù arå prouä thaô theù geô manù referraló froí satisfieä customers. Theù arå nï pushovers¬ though¬ aó onå Wisconsiî taverî owneò founä out® "Wå boughô hió o!ä Bursen'ó Banä Orgaî (á hugå automatiã musiã machinå simulatinç banä instrumentó anä manufactureä arounä 1930© foò $1,50° casè anä carry® Larrù paiä hií thå casè buô theî wå discovereä wå couldn'ô geô thå darî thinç ouô - theù haä bui!ô aî additioî arounä it® Larrù to!ä thå owneò - wå paiä foò iô anä we'rå takinç it® Daä jusô torå ouô oæ thaô taverî anä iî teî minuteó camå bacë witè á borroweä electriã sa÷ anä cuô thaô orgaî intï á zillioî pieces¡ Wå founä ouô lateò thaô thå owneò haä "sold£ thå samå orgaî thaô waù severaì times® Hå wenô intï bankruptcù thå nexô weeë buô wå goô ouò organ." Thougè theù havå achieveä theiò goaì oæ creatinç á success fu¡ fami!ù business¬ theù sti!¡ thinë thaô AMericá ió thå !anä oæ opportunitù anä thaô thå antiquå businesó ió á gooä waù tï Š go® "É aí convinceä thaô anyonå caî starô todaù anä makå á mil!ioî do!!aró iî antiqueó oveò thå nexô teî yearó anä noô eveî havå tï quiô his regular job to d# it," Randy says. .PA Š .. L..............!...!....................................!.......................R Seven Acres, GEL, page 9 Everù yeaò theù adä ne÷ attractions® "Daä woulä diå iæ hå haä                tï stoð building® Anä he'ó stilì scrounging® Lasô yeaò hå bui!ô                á loç cabiî froí somå o!ä telephonå po!eó hå boughô foò $5.0°                each® Hå alsï addeä á replicá oæ á go!ä minå behinä thå Villagå                wherå á reaì old-timå "prospector¢ demonstrateó ho÷ tï paî foò                gold. And the kids can try it too. Eveî theiò peô burrï goô intï thå acô bù producinç thå subjecô                of the "Name the New Baby Burro Contest". Theù stil!#worë seveî dayó á week¬ sixteeî houró á day® On!ù                Ke!!y¬ Mike'ó wifå anä á canceò patienô nurse¬ ió noô activå iî                thå business® Randy'ó wife¬ Chrió ¬ á Uniteä Airlineó f!ighô                attendant, works wherever needed on her days off. Threå full-timå employeeó assisô theí alì year® Apri¡ ió try-                ouô timå foò thå seasonaì emp!oyees¬ usual!ù higè schoo¡ anä                co!legå studentó witè acting¬ athletic¬ oò gymnastiã skilló tï                featurå iî thå Wilä Wesô showó anä tï worë iî thå tickeô booth¬                gift shop, and food booths. Last year Jim i Rossow¬ á higè schooì dramá teacher¬ createä thå winninç characteò                oæ "Tiî Can¢ anä woî á summeò joâ aó aî o!ä westerî "geezer¢                sharing master of ceremony duties with Randy. Don'ô looë tï thå Donleyó foò thoså usua¡ symboló oæ succesó -                thå foreigî cars¬ designeò labels¬ Harvarä MBA's¬ nervouó                breakdowns¬ brokeî homes¬ anä exotiã vacatioî plans® Theù drivå Š               we!!-used cars from their favorite American manu- .PA Š .. L...!.....!........!................!...........................R - ._   Seven Acres, GEL, page 10 facturer¬ theiò jeanó arå washeä anä worn¬ anä theiò respecô anä affectioî foò eacè otheò ió readilù apparent® Thió maù bå onå businesó wherå the owners have as much fun as the patrons. Aó foò vacations¬ Mikå anä Randù fina!!ù ta!keä Larrù anä Helenå intï visitinç Ca!iforniá lasô yeaò - buô theù haä tï ca!¡ iô á buyinç trip before they'd go. Don'ô asë Randù tï takå á vacatioî either® "Wherå woulä É     havå morå fuî than right here?" #.############# .PA Š