If you lived in Western Springs before 1993, chances are you were one of Glen’s customers.

Glen and Camille Strecker

Today, when you drive or stroll past 923 Burlington Avenue, you’ll see the Dye Hard Salon. But, in the 1950s through the 1980s, you would have seen Glen’s Local TV.

In the late 1940s, Glen was one of a dozen men who formed Local TV and Radio, Inc.  In the 1950s, he became a partner in Local TV and Appliance Co. and, by the 1960s, he was able to purchase the entire business and renamed it “Glen’s Local TV”. In the early years, Glen stocked radios and phonographs, and later TVs. He also repaired TVs. In fact, many residents can still remember watching Glen singlehandedly carrying their huge televisions sets to his truck and then, a day or two later, returning them back home, good as new.

In those days, Glen also sold new television sets. There were no “big box” stores like Best Buy, and prices were more or less the same from dealer to dealer. That allowed small stores like Glen’s to survive. But, Glen did much more than sell and repair televisions. He also sold and installed antennas (remember, this was long before cable service!). When color television began to proliferate, Glen was there, selling and fixing them.

Soon 8-track tape players arrived on the scene, followed by video cassette recorders, or VCRs. And, Glen sold these as well.  But, as television sets with solid-state components became more reliable, Glen’s repair business began to shrink. In addition, discount electronics retailers also ate into his business. But, the advent of the VCR actually enabled Glen’s transition to tape and video game rentals. This eventually comprised the bulk of his business for the last 11 years.

With his wife Camille, Glen operated his business for an amazing 47 years. During that time, all sorts of incidents occurred. These included a lightning bolt that hit the store, as well as various burglaries. But, the most memorable was in 1987 when a car jumped the curb and crashed into the storefront. Camille was pinned in the wreckage and had to be extricated by Western Springs firefighters. While she was able to return to work after two months of recuperation, she suffered back and leg pain long after the incident.

In 1993, Glen and his wife sold the business and retired. But, by any measure, their 47 years in business was quite a run.