By Alan Wolf
Lorenz Appliance of Homewood, Ill., was named the 2019 BrandSource Dealer of the Year for the Greater Midwest Region on August 25 at the BrandSource National Convention & Expo at the Gaylord Texan in Dallas. Brothers and co-owners Don and Brett Lorenz were honored at the buying group’s annual awards ceremony, which was held amid the hoopla of its four-day convention.
For Lorenz Appliance, the third time was clearly a charm. The family first entered the appliance business in the mid-1960s under dad Don Lorenz Sr. and a friend, who enjoyed a successful 20-year run before the late 1980s recession forced the partners to close shop. After working for a colleague that also went belly up, Don Sr. and Don Jr. reentered the appliance retail scene with a mid- to high-end assortment and a commitment to exemplary customer service, including delivery and installation.
The concept worked, and together father and son built Lorenz Appliance into a thriving business with as many as 30 employees – until the 2008 housing market crash reduced the workforce to seven staffers and left the Lorenz’s struggling to keep the store open.
Enter brother Brett. Together the trio rebuilt the business amid the slow-growth economy, and following their father’s passing the brothers opened a second location, in Mokena, Ill., expanded the team to 15, and continue the company’s motto of “Lorenz Appliance: Not the biggest, just the best.”
The BrandSource Dealer of the Year awards are presented annually to members who have shown continued support of BrandSource and its direct suppliers. A Dealer of the Year must support the group by attending regional meetings as well as national events such as the Convention and Summit.
This year’s 14 winners, which were selected by each region’s membership, demonstrated a continued commitment to excellence in the retail industry and to their fellow BrandSource dealers.
Congratulations all!
YSN is published by BrandSource parent company AVB Inc.