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Local Business in the 1950’s
Business were flourishing during the boom of the 1950’s. Existing businesses were expanding while new businesses were moving to Mount Prospect. The Central Telephone Company of Illinois, based in Mount Prospect, was growing rapidly to cope with the growth of Mount Prospect and the surrounding areas. The company switched Mount Prospect over from rotary to dial telephone service in the 1950’s and increased personal by 50%. They added thousands of new lines for new subscribers in the newly created neighborhoods throughout the decade.
The Busse family, one of the early founding families, continued to play a vital role in the business community. They were leaders in the realty business with Annen & Busse Realty and Busse Real Estate. Albert Busse ran Busse Buick, which was still the towns only car dealership through the 1950s. Fred and Harold Busse ran Busse’s Flowers, which was competing with both Haberkamp Flowers and Kellen Brothers Greenhouse, although Busse Flowers is the only one still in business.
Mount Prospect residents also had many choices when it came to entertainment and recreation. Along with the recently created park district residents could entertain themselves at the Mount Prospect Bowling Lanes, the Prospect Theatre, or by playing a round of golf at the Mount Prospect Country Club. In 1958 the Mount Prospect Country Club was the center of controversy when it was purchased by reputed gangster Richard Hauff known as a “mystery man of Rush Street night club circles.” Hauff quickly went bankrupt and the Country Club was purchased by Mount Prospect in 1961.
Mount Prospect was also a town of firsts in the business world throughout the 1950’s. J.A. Webber’s light industrial park located near Lions Park was one of the first of its kind. Randhurst Shopping Center, which was started in 1958 was the largest indoor shopping area for many years. Mount Prospect Plaza also helped usher in a new era of car oriented shopping plaza development.