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Grunow, William C.

Born April 30, 1893, Chicago, Illinois; died July 6, 1951, Chicago, Illinois.
Buried in Forest Park.

William C. Grunow, an accountant, formed Grigsby-Grunow Company in 1927 to produce Majestic radios, one of the first radios which used alternating current rather than messy, expensive batteries. The company also manufactured home refrigerators and phonographs. Both he and his partner, B. J. Grigsby, became wealthy within two years.

Grunow built a palatial home at 915 Franklin in River Forest in the 1920s; later it became the home of reputed mob figure Tony Accardo. After the Grigsby-Grunow partnership ended, Grunow founded General Household Utilities in 1933 which also produced radios and refrigerators. When that business failed, Grunow sold a Phoenix, Arizona, estate to finance a poultry-raising venture, Val-Lo-Will Farms, Inc., of Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. The farm was named for his three children: Valerie, Lois, and William. Eventually, Grunow owned twenty-four Val-Lo-Will Farms stores in Illinois.

As with his earlier ventures, Grunow sought to combine value with economy. He brought scientists and engineers together to design a cutting edge facility for the raising and processing of chickens. He also decided to market chicken parts individually, to meet consumer preferences.

The Grunow mausoleum features columned porticos on either side. Within each is a statue; one represents commerce, the other communication, the two areas which dominated Grunow's life.