From an Ice Cream Parlor to a Liquor Store: What Was the Grand Strategy?

A. Ratajczak’s Ice Cream Parlor

A Legacy of Survival in Business

You have to hand it to my family: surviving for seventy years in business, they have certainly witnessed their fair share of ups and downs when it comes to the goodies they sell. When life hands you lemons (or outdated merchandise), business plans often get a makeover. But let's delve into my family’s drama and explore this transition by flipping through some obituaries and prayer cards because nothing captures 'business strategy' quite like a good old family funeral!

The Origins of Ratajacks: A Family Enterprise

The Early Days of the Business

Ratajacks, the family business, started with Maryanna and her girls (Kathryn, Charlotte, Madaline) working the confectionery front part of the store and Albert and Michael Ratajczak in the pool hall. The family worked hard and long hours, earning little, if any, wages—allowing the small profits to stay in the business. They all lived in the large frame house connected to the store, contributing their time, efforts, and money to financial stability.

The Great Depression and the First Major Loss

The Passing of Maryanna

Sadly, the matriarch, Maryanna, was the first to pass away in 1930. The leader of the family succumbed to heart issues that seemed to plague them. The 1930s marked the onset of the Great Depression, coinciding with the era of Al Capone and Frank Rio, infamous gangsters in Chicago. The economic downturn hit Chicago particularly hard due to its manufacturing sector, and the store's location north of Chicago catered mainly to factory workers.

The Economic Impact on the Family Business

Prohibition remained in effect, and speakeasies thrived as popular venues for serving alcohol. Considering the family business's basement had a secret tunnel, I often wondered if they were involved in that kind of trade, but who can say?

But for the family, the loss of their matriarch was devastating. Looking at the timeline, could the stress from the business have caused her death? After all, businesses and banks were failing, and life savings were disappearing, leaving many Americans destitute.

A Shift in Business Strategy: Survival Mode

The Decision to Diversify

Maryanna’s death prompted the family to reconsider their business strategy—simply to keep food on the table and the family clothed. Ice cream and candy are luxury items that are no longer affordable. At the very least, they should diversify.

Enter Uncle Al: A New Patriarch

This change also coincided with her son, my Great Uncle Al, who often visited downtown Chicago, stepping into the role of patriarch. As a single man, little good was likely to come from that during an era filled with gangsters, the mafia, and speakeasies. Was that when alcohol was introduced? They did have the pool hall in the back, and a candy store would serve as a perfect cover.

The Influence of Prohibition and Alcohol

Uncle Michael’s Struggles

The next obituary covers Uncle Michael, who died in 1944 due to alcohol and smoking. Hmmm, prohibition was over, but perhaps the availability from the family business played a role. No significant changes occurred after that, although Uncle Al became solely responsible for the pool hall.

The Mysterious Death of Uncle Al

However, Al died in 1950 from a concussion sustained one evening in downtown Chicago. Now, the second-generation patriarch was gone. So, who stepped into the role? Maryanna’s grandson, Uncle Gene Snarski, who recently graduated from Notre Dame.

A New Generation Takes Over

The Leadership of Uncle Gene

As a first-generation college graduate, Gene was anointed as the business’s expert. Although Gene was just an advisor to the family, he dedicated long hours to their business while attending Northwestern Law School. His demanding work and school schedule led him from honors at Notre Dame to academic probation. However, he spoke with his professors about making up his grades through extra credit, aiming to graduate in good standing, which he ultimately achieved.

The Role of the Three Sisters

During this time, the three sisters—Kathryn, Madaline, and Charlotte, Gene’s mom—managed the family business. Kathryn, a widow since before the Great Depression, took care of finances and candy. Madaline traveled to Chicago’s fashion district for clothing and shoes until her passing in 1955, which again changed the store’s offerings. Charlotte steered clear of the Chicago crowds and depended on her daughter Generose in the clothing department, but after the birth of her fifth daughter (me), their visits downtown became limited.

The Expansion into Alcohol Sales

Ratajack’s as a Liquor Store

Mitch’s Role in Business Growth

Eventually, Madaline’s son, Mitch, left his job outside the business to focus on promoting beer and alcohol for the store, expanding beyond just the pool hall.

The Transition to a Liquor Store

But it was the death of my grandfather, Nick Snarski, that, among other factors, convinced the family members to sell. My grandmother was in a nursing home, and though she was mentally sharp, she had lost a leg and had suffered several strokes. Aunt Kathryn exhibited signs of dementia, and her OCD tendencies became more pronounced.

The End of an Era

The Younger Generation’s Disinterest

The younger generation had no interest, as most were of college age or older, opting for different paths rather than the family business. Would things have been different if there had been more structured business planning instead of one born out of necessity?

A Reflection on Business Strategy

A question we can ponder but will never know for sure. But what I do know is that death is not a strategy.