Mutual Services of Highalnd Park has been serivng the North Shore for 90 Years
Four Generations of Diversity & Commitment
It got its start as a small coal delivery company in Highland Park, but today, Mutual ACE Hardware (formerly True Value) stands as a symbol to the family-owned business that has held its own against the corporate giants for four generations. Dane Sheahen, who today runs the company with his cousin, Christopher Sheahen, attributes his family's success, in part, to the diversity of their business. Their Mutual ACE Hardware store is just part of Mutual Services, which also encompasses a Large Mutual Rental Place and steel business. The Sheahen family has been a constant in Highland Park since the Civil War days. Dane remembers hearing about his great, great grandfather's farmland, which still exists today as the site of Sunset Park.
It was Dane's great grandfather, Francis Sheahen, who founded Mutual Coal Company in 1917. In its earliest days, a horse and wagon transported coal from the business to its customers. By 1925, the coal business switched to trucks and began handling building materials. At that time, Francis' two sons, Earl and Lloyd ran the company. In 1947, Lloyd's 25 year old son, Francis, returned from the war after serving as one of the country's youngest naval captains. Even though he loved his life with the Navy, he was drawn back home because he missed the sense of stability his family offered. Together, they recognized the slumping demand for coal and the great boom in construction that followed the end of World War II. They began delivering sand and gravel in the same trucks they had once used for coal and joined with others to form the Dealers' Ready Mix Company. Francis remained president of the company for the next 20 years. The Sheahens moved the building materials operation to Mutual's current location in the late 1950's.
It was Dane's father, William G. Sheahen, joining the business in 1950, who recognized that builders not only needed sand and gravel, they also need trowels, shovels, hammers and other equipment. He also was aware of the great fluctuation in the construction business. He thought that a hardware store might offer some stability. At the same time, his partner and cousin, Francis Sheahen, began Mutual Steel to cut, weld and bend steel. Through the steel business, Mutual was able to offer the I-beams needed for building construction, further complementing its existing business. Today, 41 years later, they still fabricate steel for residential and commercial buildings. It was in 1959 that the Sheahens opened a 4000 square foot hardware store.
A 7000 square foot warehouse soon followed, both constructed by Mutual's building division. They joined True Value, which is not a franchise but a buying co-op, in the mid-60s and became its 203rd store. Mutual is now among the top 25 of the more than 6,000 True Value stores nationwide in terms of dollar volume of merchandise purchased. According to National Home Center News, Chicago is the nation's second largest market for home improvement goods. Growing up, Dane spent a lot of time in the family hardware store. He helped out by dusting or counting items for inventory. At age 14, he officially started working at the store. His earliest responsibilities were cleaning toilets and mopping floors. He eventually worked in every area of the Mutual businesses. After graduating with a business degree, Dane worked outside the company for two years as a plant manager in Denver. He returned home and joined the family business in 1977. He started as a department manager, placing weekly orders and buying, merchandising and selling products. Later, he designed plans for Mutual's new building while his father kept the hardware store running. Built 11 years ago right next to the original building (which was later torn down), the structure takes up 24,000 square feet...three times the size of the original store.
After moving to the new building, Dane installed a computer system and expanded the store's offering of power tools, as well as the lawn and garden department. Today, he runs the home center and the sand and gravel operation. His cousin, Chris, is the chief financial officer and runs the steel division. They have supplied the steel for everything from the new addition to Sunset Foods to the bars of the lion cages at Lincoln Park Zoo. Frank Sheahen,83, is still on the job and offers the younger generation his valuable knowledge and experience. He calls himself their "link to the past". Mutual continues to diversify. Also added in 1994, a 1,500 square foot ACE Rental Place, where you can rent everything from a jackhammer to a cotton candy machine.
Early Mutual Coal Company Delivery Truck - 1911
