ABOUT US CONTACT US (773) 588-0800 RESTORATION COATINGS & STAINS BUILDING MATERIALS CONCRETE INFO CENTER Search for: Our Mission We aim to redefine the role of a supplier by not only carrying an exceptional range of products, but by providing expert in-house analysis, consultation, and training. Our legacy of marketplace responsiveness means we are always refining and perfecting what we do and how we do it, helping you to build better. OUR HISTORY 1860s Henry Frerk Sons was founded more than 140 years ago by the determination and hard work of Henry Frerk, who described himself as a "sawed-off and hammered down German." Henry Frerk was born in Prussia in 1848. In the mid-1860s, he immigrated to the United States and eventually settled in Chicago, where he married Albertine Belitz and they started a family. Milwaukee Ave. was the main road into the city from the northwest. It was paved in wood cobbles and merchants were charged a toll to use the road. The local farmers realized quickly that the cost of the toll outweighed the benefit of selling produce in the city. Recognizing the farmers’ dilemma and a business opportunity, Henry partnered with Charles Bothfeld. They purchased the two buildings previously owned by Mueller & Hardkopf and became commission merchants. After installing a scale along Milwaukee Ave. to weigh wagon-loads of produce, Henry purchased the small loads and delivered them into the city. The farmers, in turn, purchased their necessary supplies at Henry's store. 1870s 1880s In 1884, Henry Frerk purchased property on the 1800 block of Milwaukee Ave. and opened his own hay, grain, and feed store. In 1887, he purchased additional property and expanded his business to the present location at Belmont, Kedzie, and the Chicago Northwestern Railroad. This area was still largely a farming community known as Avondale, and had not yet been annexed into Chicago. Street addresses had not been designated therefore the company address was known as located "Near Belmont Ave., Cor. N.W. Railroad off Avondale train depot." Before long, Henry added a lumber, door, and sash business. This larger property, and the proximity of the railroad, enabled Henry to grow his business. He included coal, and stocked large quantities of hard building materials such as sand, gravel, cement, and plaster. The aggregate was delivered in railroad gravel cars to the Belmont Ave. yard and each rail car was hand shovel unloaded. 1890s Business Heats Up There was a tremendous building boom taking place in Chicago during this period due to the rebuilding of the city after the Chicago Fire. The company used 20 teams of draft horses to make its deliveries. The company traveled as far north as Half Day Road which, as the name implies, took a half day to reach by horse and wagon. A two-story stable with an elevator was built to house the horses. This building, on Fletcher St. near Albany Ave., is curently owned by Ascher Brothers and the original stable still stands today. The draft horses were raised on the company farm located in what is now the Barrington Hills area. The drivers came to work at four o'clock in the morning to groom and harness the horses. Henry Frerk personally inspected each harnessed team, and no one left until they had passed Henry's inspection. Sometime in the early 1900's, Henry and Charles closed their hay, grain, and feed stores on Milwaukee Ave., and Henry focused operations on his Belmont Ave. yard. On May 7, 1910, Henry Frerk died at 62 years of age. The company continued under the direction of his two sons, Alfred and Otto. They decided to drop the lumber portion of the business and concentrate on coal and hard building materials. The company name, Henry Frerk, was modified to Henry Frerk Sons, Inc. which remains in use to this day. 1900s Truck Technology Very early on the Frerk brothers realized the advantages of automobiles and purchased their first auto truck, a 1911 3.5-ton Kissel Kar. Then, in 1917, the Frerks purchased their first dump truck: a 2- ton Autocar, nicknamed the "hurry-up wagon." By 1921 Henry Frerk Sons' truck fleet grew to eight automobiles including an additional three Mack 7-1/2 ton trucks, a Packard 4-1/2 ton truck and a steam shovel for unloading rail cars in our yard. In addition to the battery of trucks, Henry Frerk Sons continued with wagon deliveries pulled by twelve teams of horses. 1920s - 30s The Depression Then, in 1925, Alfred died, leaving Otto to run the company. Even though the depression hit the building industry very hard, Otto was able to keep the company afloat. In 1946, just after his son, Rodger, returned from the war, Otto Frerk passed away. Rodger became president of Henry Frerk Sons, and in 1951, Rodger married Anne Galbavy. Loren, their daughter and only child was born in 1955. In 1966, Henry Frerk Sons entered the ready mixed concrete industry. In order to be responsive to its customers' needs, the company purchased a mobile concrete truck, an unconventional route to take. Starting with only one truck was risky business, and having only been introduced in 1964, the concrete mobile truck was still in its infancy, and the standard barrel mixer was familiar and popular in the Chicago area. Rodger saw the potential for the new truck and invested in what he saw to be both better quality and a better price for his customers. He turned out to be quite right! Mid 1990s Present Day In 1978, Loren married Kenn Wolf, who continues to run the business to this day, alongside his son, Matthew. Since that small beginning of one truck, Henry Frerk Sons has added to our fleet. Today, we are one of the largest mobile concrete companies in the Midwest. Always responding to the needs of the customer, Henry Frerk Sons expanded in 1982 to include specialty concrete, such as latex modified, superplasticized, and low slump. Our breadth of product and wealth of experience has allowed Henry Frerk Sons to satisfy both the rigid specifications of large government contracts, as well as the problems associated with small jobs for the homeowner. CONTACT TEL (773) 588-0800 FAX (773) 588-7019 3135 W Belmont Ave Chicago, IL 60618 HOURS Monday - Friday Saturday Sunday 6:30 am - 3:00 pm 6:30 am - 11:30 am Closed NAVIGATION Restoration/ Preservation Building Materials Concrete About Us Contact Us Employment FORMS Credit Application C-CAP Form ©2021 Henry Frerk Sons. All rights reserved