Abe's,
We're Proud of You!
[JAN.
27, 2000] When
your brother-in-law from Hinsdale visits Lincoln and you want to
impress him with the quality of life in our fair town, where do you
go? Ask most Logan County folks that question, and their answer will
include Abe’s, the carmelcorn shop on North Kickapoo Street.
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Why
is a carmelcorn shop considered something so special that
Lincolnites gloat about it? For one thing, Abe’s is far more than
a carmelcorn shop; it outgrew its name years ago. But the real
reason is that the family that owns the business believes in
old-fashioned pride in workmanship.
“This
is a family-owned business,” explains Helen Rainforth, “and
everything that Abe’s is reflects on the Rainforths. We are proud
of our family and proud of our business. We have worked very hard
for many years to build what we have today.”
In
September of 1983 the Rainforths purchased the Carmelcorn Shoppe
from Nancy Pineda of Lincoln. The store was located on the corner of
Kickapoo and Pekin and featured chocolates, penny candy and popcorn.
The Rainforths changed the name to Abe’s, fitting in the town that
Honest Abe christened with watermelon juice in 1853.
![](../images/Abe%20story/abe_story3.jpg)
“We
enlarged and enhanced the popcorn production and began to secure
corporate clients,” Mrs. Rainforth tells with a gleam of
reminiscence in her eye. “We added toys, stuffed animals, more
candy and gift items.”
Within
two years the Rainforths opened an Abe’s in downtown Normal, where
it served college students from Illinois State University and
families from the community. In 1990, Helen’s husband Larry quit
his job as a veterinary supply vendor and went full-time with Abe’s.
![](../images/Abe%20story/abe_story1.jpg)
"We
took a big step in 1992, when our son Lance graduated from Illinois
State University,” says Mrs. Rainforth. “With Lance now on board
as part of our management team, we opened an Abe’s at the Metro
Centre in Peoria and we purchased the Knights of Columbus building
in Lincoln.”
The
Knights of Columbus building was just a half block south of Abe’s
on Kickapoo Street. First the Rainforths set up a popcorn production
center on the second floor of the KCs, and the KCs still occupied
the ground floor. By 1994, the KCs had moved to their new building
on the east side of Lincoln and Abe’s opened a specialty food shop
on the first floor of the old KCs building. They continued to
operate the Abe’s at the corner of Kickapoo and Pekin, adding a
Lickety Split ice cream shop in the summertime.
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When
they needed extra help, someone from the family always seemed
available to fill a void. Lance’s older brother, Vince, worked
with the business at several points along the way before joining
Principal Financial in Chicago.
“Finally,
we moved our entire Lincoln operation to 117 N. Kickapoo [former KCs
building],” Mrs. Rainforth continues. “We fashioned the store
after the successful format we had developed in Peoria. We were now
able to offer the community of Lincoln much more. We put in gourmet
food, kitchenware, windsocks, toiletries, candles and home accents.”
![](../images/Abe%20story/abe_story2.jpg)
If
you think the Rainforths are ready to rest on their laurels, you are
wrong. Lance is taking the lead in a new online business that will
enable anyone in the world to order Abe’s products. The company
already ships products worldwide, for corporate clients and for
individuals. The online store will greatly expand the scope of the
business. The Rainforths expect the online business to be fully
operating by Easter of this year.
The
next time your brother-in-law comes to Lincoln and you point your
car toward Abe’s, tell him the story of the Rainforth family. A
family’s pride in workmanship and good decision making have given
Lincoln a special spot to show our out-of-town relatives.
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