A Century of Serving Chicago

Clark-Devon Hardware has been serving the homeowners, building managers and tenants of Rogers Park/West Ridge for more than a century. Its iconic hardware clock is a neighborhood landmark, marking the corner of Clark and Devon. From a complex of buildings spanning the 20th Century, the store sells everything from paint to fertilizer to sanding sponges, some 40,000 different items covering 12,000 square feet of retail space.

Join us for an evening with Ken Walchak, retired co-owner as he shares his family’s story of 100 years in the hardware business and the store’s recent transition to employee ownership.

Ken and his brother took over the business from their father and grandfather, and have built Clark Devon Hardware into a vital resource for building managers and owners throughout Chicago. Get his insight into how the business grew and flourished over the years, adapting to changing times and changing needs of the neighborhood and the city at large.

Ken is also President of the Rogers Park/West Ridge Historical Society. As a local business person, he has a unique perspective on the neighborhood and how the past has shaped the community of today.

This program is part of our Living History series, free and open to all. Walk-ins are welcome, but your pre-registration helps us plan the event.