PEORIA MAGAZINE July 2023

MOM AND POP

The George J. Rothan Company building at 619 W. Johnson St., Peoria. Below, the company's early days at the same location

FAMILY FRIENDLY The George J. Rothan Company has produced architectural millwork at the same location for the last 150 years

BY STEVE STEIN PHOTOS BY RON JOHNSON

commercial projects, Rothan said, collaborating with general contractors — its base of operations has not. It’s still at its original location at with 14 employees, including eight union carpenters. “Why stay in our original building? That’s a question I ask myself every day. It’s always on my mind,” Rothan said. “It’s tradition. It’s legacy. My father worked there for 40 years. “It’s actually an amazing building. You wouldn’t think so, but it’s a neat place to stop by for a chat or just say hello.” Amazing, but not terribly efficient. There are challenges, Rothan said, because production work is done on two floors. “Production suffers a bit because of that,” he said. “It’s difficult to transport things from one floor to the next. But our employees do a great job doing that. They just roll with it.” The company’s portfolio includes jobs for corporations, architects, universities,

The company has survived and thrived through Prohibition, the Great Depression, two world wars and a worldwide pandemic to serve customers throughout the U.S. It’s one of the oldest architectural millwork companies in the country. It uses raw lumber to create wood products such as custom casework, cabinetry, commercial, sports and residential fixtures and countertops. Established in 1873, during the second term of President Ulysses S. Grant, it’s also one of the oldest companies in the Peoria area. Interestingly, it’s just a few blocks away from another longtime family business, A. Lucas & Sons, established in 1857. Lucas, located at 1328 SW Washington St. in Peoria, is the oldest steel fabrication company in the U.S. EVOLVING, BUT NOT While the Rothan Company’s focus has changed through the years — the company now does about 95%

JJ Rothan is the president of George J. Rothan Company

P roducts and people. That’s been the George J. Rothan Company’s recipe for staying in business for 150 years. “We’ve had to change with the times through the years, but we’ve remained committed to craftsmanship, quality and integrity,” said company President JJ (George J.) Rothan Jr., 56, the latest of five generations of Rothan family members entrusted with running the business at 619 W. Johnson St. in Peoria.

22 JULY 2023 PEORIA MAGAZINE