Following is my speech at the 2003 Hall of Fame induction ceremony. by Tom Taradash Posted 7/31/03
Recently, an old friend of my father reminded me of the time in 1949 that he was planning Thanksgiving dinner at his new home in Park Forest. He and his wife wanted to show off their home and their young children playing in their backyard. That afternoon, as his wife prepared the dinner and set the table, they realized that they needed glassware for 15 or 20 people. In addition, they had forgotten the ice, liquor and wine -- and; they did not have enough snacks to go around.
My father's friend would have had to drive to Chicago Heights to get the forgotten items, but all these items were provided by the Park Forest Liquor Store.It was a problem that George Taradash decided to do something about. In 1949 he and his brother Irving, soon before, opened the first retail store in the Park Forest Shopping Center. It was the thought of these needs that they rushed the completion of the Park Forest Liquor Store to open before the Holidays that year. Many retailers tried, but only the liquor store opened. Things were "rugged" in Park Forest at that time - there were no paved streets, other than the main throughfares - no green lawns - no trees, other than the wind brakes planted years before. There were no sidewalks and only "duckboards" would get you in and out of the shopping center.
The name Liquor Store at that time was really a misnomer. The store carried such staples as milk, bread, canned goods, toilet paper and the most precious item - baby food. As we all know, there were a lot of babies in Park Forest after the War. It was by all means, in today's terms a "Convenience Store." But the services that were provided then were way different than the "no" service of today. First and most important, there was FREE home delivery. When a young mother was home - with children and no car - but needed grocery items or baby food, George Taradash and the Park Forest Liquor Store provided free delivery service. When phone lines were at a premium and a message had to get home from a husband downtown at work, the liquor store provided a message service. There was no bank in town then, so when paychecks needed to be cashed, Park Forest Liquors provided that service also. Besides being a shop owner, there was George the community person. Meeting space, for the newly formed clubs and community service organizations was non-existent before the building of restaurants, schools and churches. But again, Park Forest Liquors came to the rescue. An area in the basement of the store was devoted to meet this need. Anytime, day or night, groups would meet and formulate the future of Park Forest. From community service groups to government entities, from school boards to church organizations, all met at space provided free at the Park Forest Liquor Store. Because of his extreme generosity, he sponsored numerous Little League teams, bowling teams, softball teams and about any organized event held in town. The office in the store looked like a museum of pictures and trophies from anything ever held in Park Forest.
Later, Jewel opened, and there was no longer a need for food items. The town was growing rapidly. My father had already built a terrific reserve of "good will." On that "Good Will," he decided to expand and move into a larger space in the Theater Building. He also opened a second store on Blackhawk, as the community expanded. My sister, Gail, and I remember when our family first moved to Park Forest in 1949. And, although our father and mother, Nancy, are no longer with us; we still remember Park Forest fondly.
Thank you for honoring my father, George Taradash, by inducting him into the Park Forest Hall of Fame in April, 2003.
-- Tom Taradash
