Deep Roots in Des Plaines
Family-owned businesses proud of their legacy of service
By Matt Beardmore
All founded in Chicago, Scharm Floor Covering, Square Deal Shoes, and R.C. Wahl
Jewelers have been institutions in Des Plaines for many decades. Today, the owners of these family
businesses take great pride in carrying on the legacy their relatives started so many years ago.
Scharm Floor Covering
Since it was founded in 1973 by Fred and LaRayne Scharm, Scharm Floor Covering – originally known
as F. Scharm Carpet Shoppe and located near Canfield Ave. and Higgins Rd. in Chicago – has
developed a strong reputation throughout the Chicagoland area for its deep industry knowledge and
ability to deliver customized flooring solutions for residential and commercial clients.
Company president and owner Fred Scharm hopes the business his parents started – and the legacy
it represents – will continue for many years to come, even if his family is no longer involved.
Raised on the Northwest Side of Chicago near Oriole Park, Fred Scharm has been involved in the carpet
and flooring business for more than 50 years. He learned how to hand-sew carpet from his father, a union
carpet installer in the 1950s and ‘60s, and he started cleaning carpets when he was 14. He later
started laying carpet with his cousins.
In 1980, shortly after his parents purchased the Des Plaines Meatpacking Company and relocated their
business to its current location at 1843 E. Oakton Street, Fred and his late brother helped remodel the
company’s new building and joined the family business. “My dad decided he was going to
retire in 2003, and then my mother decided to retire a year later,” Fred Scharm said. “My
sister left the business in 2014, so I’ve been running it ever since.”
Scharm’s adult children (two daughters and a son) have helped out some at Scharm Flooring Company
over the years, but all three have established careers outside the family business. As Scharm closes in
on retirement, his wish is that one of his employees carry on the legacy started by his parents more
than five decades ago.
“I’ll be 65 in July and I still plan on working for another five to seven years,” he
said. “Once I retire, hopefully one of my employees will take it over for me and continue the
legacy. If not, I’ll close it up.”
To learn more about Scharm Floor Covering’s products and services, please visit www.scharm.com.
Square Deal Shoes
As the third-generation owner of Square Deal Shoes, Jack Capozzoli is proud of the more than 100 years
his family has served the community. Capozzoli also keeps an eye on the future to ensure his
family’s business is keeping up with trends and meeting its customers’ needs.
Square Deal Shoes was founded in 1921 by Capozzoli’s grandparents, Amelia and Luigi Capozzoli.
Originally located in Chicago, this full-service family shoe store has been a Des Plaines mainstay since
it relocated to the Behmiller Building at 1520 Miner Street in the early 1930s. The store moved two
doors west to its current location (1516 Miner Street) in 1947 and expanded in 1991, according to a 2015
Journals & Topics article. For nearly six decades, the founders’ sons, Louis (Jack’s
father), the former vice president of the Des Plaines Chamber of Commerce, and Joseph (Jack’s
uncle), ran the store.
During that time, Louis and Julie Capozzoli’s four sons were pitching in to support the family
business, even when they were very young.
“I was first brought to the store as a newborn, even before going home from the hospital,”
Jack Capozzoli said. “My three older brothers (Louis, Stephen, and Robert) and I were dragged here
every weekend when we were kids. I first started working in the store when I was 7 or 8 years old
– I’d pick up shoes on the floor, stock shoes, and do whatever needed to be done.”
Jack continued working at the store throughout high school before getting into the construction field.
In 1985, he returned to the family business after Stephen, a manager at Square Deal Shoes at the time,
passed away in a car accident at the age of 28.
Since taking over the store in 1991, Jack Capozzoli has carried on the legacy established by his
grandparents, father, and uncle. “We’ve always been here to help the customers and to build
customer loyalty,” Capozzoli said. That customer-first approach has helped Square Deal Shoes
differentiate itself from brick-and-mortar and online competitors, but the peaks and valleys of retail
business are unavoidable.
“There have been good years and bad years, but we continue to grow because we’ve been able
to keep up with the trends,” said Capozzoli, adding that Square Deal Shoes now sells more active
lifestyle and comfort footwear.
“Since COVID, half the attorneys don’t even go to court anymore,” he said.
“They put on a tie and shirt and do Zoom court. And 85% of the people that commute only do so once
a week, so people aren’t dressing up like they used to – back in the ‘80s, we would
sell a lot of dress shoes.”
Concerns about tariffs and vendors’ price increases make this a “shaky time,” but
like the Capozzoli family has always done, Jack and his son, Nick – who has worked in the family
business for the last six years – will continue putting in the work and putting customers
first.
“It’s hard work and it’s challenging at times, but you just have to buckle down and
figure out where are your needs and your customer needs,” Jack Capozzoli said.
To learn more about Square Deal Shoes’ products and custom services, please visit www.squaredealshoes.com.
R.C. Wahl Jewelers
Heather Wahl always knew where her path would lead. Though she earned her degree in Business,
Economics, and Psychology from Cornell College and gained valuable experience in the corporate world,
her heart was always with the family business—R.C. Wahl Jewelers, a cornerstone of Des Plaines
since 1894.
“I remember coming into the store as a kid, polishing silver and learning to engrave,” said
Wahl, the fifth-generation owner of the family-owned jeweler. “Even then, I knew this would one
day be my life’s work.”
R.C. Wahl Jewelers isn’t just a business—it’s a tradition. For 131 years, the Wahl
family has helped generations of customers celebrate life’s most meaningful moments. Today, that
tradition continues with Heather at the helm, guiding the company through a time of exciting
evolution.
“We’ve seen incredible changes in the industry,” she said. “Technology is
opening new doors every day. From 3D design to laser engraving, we’re able to offer more
precision, more customization, and a better overall experience for our customers. But even as we
innovate, we stay true to what built our reputation in the first place: personal service, expert
craftsmanship, and relationships that span generations.”
Those relationships remain at the heart of the business. “It’s amazing to have customers
bring in a piece my parents made decades ago, asking us to reimagine it for their children or
grandchildren. That’s the beauty of what we do—connecting past, present, and future in a
meaningful way.”
The story of R.C. Wahl Jewelers begins with Heather’s great-great-grandfather, Francis Xavier
(F.X.) Wahl, a German immigrant who learned the jewelry trade from his mother. The youngest of 18
children, F.X. started with a jewelry repair shop in downtown Chicago before opening his first retail
store in 1894 at 79th Street and Racine Avenue.
From there, each generation added their own chapter. F.X.’s son, Fred F. Wahl, moved the business
to Des Plaines in 1949. His son, Fred Charles (F.C.) Wahl, later opened a second store in McHenry. In
1961, Heather’s father, Bob Wahl, joined the business, and in 1969, he and his wife, Barba, took
the reins and renamed it R.C. Wahl Jewelers. Under their leadership, the business flourished, eventually
expanding into its current location on Miner Street in 1990.
Today, Heather brings both tradition and vision to the business. While honoring the store’s
heritage, she’s also embracing change. “We’ve invested in cutting-edge tools that
allow us to create with more precision and flexibility, whether it’s custom engagement rings or
restoring heirloom pieces. But we haven’t lost the hands-on, personal touch we’ve always
been known for.”
Beyond the showroom, Heather remains deeply committed to giving back. As a former president and current
board member of the Des Plaines Chamber of Commerce, she actively supports local causes and community
initiatives. R.C. Wahl Jewelers is proud to partner with organizations like the District 62 Education
Foundation, Maryville, Friends of the Parks, and many others—helping to advance education, growth,
and wellness throughout the community.
“Being part of this community means everything to us,” Heather said. “Our customers
are our neighbors, our friends, and our extended family. Supporting the place we call home is just a
natural part of who we are.”
After more than a century in business, R.C. Wahl Jewelers is still evolving—staying rooted in
tradition while embracing the future. With Heather leading the way, that future looks brighter than
ever.
Please visit www.wahljewelers.com to discover
more about R.C. Wahl Jewelers.
