Maytag appliance store on top of trends

Appliances like washers and dryers, refrigerators, dishwashers, ovens, ranges and microwaves are our daily companions, making our lives easier.

Who among us would want to go back to beating clothes on a rock, cooking every day over an open fire or hauling ice for an ice box?

So it is important we make careful decisions when choosing these time-and-toil savers and that we have experts we can trust to help us make the correct decisions for our individual lifestyles.

Advanced Maytag, located at 548 S. Roselle Road, Schaumburg, has been selling these types of "white goods" to Chicago-area residents for 60 years - since 1956.

Founder Ralph Lindblom initially started a small appliance repair business in his father's Chicago vacuum cleaner repair shop. Shortly thereafter, he purchased an existing appliance store near the Harlem-Irving Plaza, moving to a larger store in Franklin Park in 1977.

In 1994 his sons, Rich and Bud, took over the business where they had been working since before either could drive, and in 2003, they moved it to its current location in Schaumburg.

"We are dedicated to selling and servicing kitchen and laundry room appliances," said Rich Lindblom, co-owner.

That is why the owners are always on top of the latest trends in their product lines and why they are currently working with the Daily Herald on its Mother's Day Sweepstakes. Readers have until May 1 to enter this contest to win "Mom" a top-of-the-line, high-efficiency Whirlpool washer and dryer set worth at least $2,700. To enter, visit events.dailyherald.com/contests.

Lindblom said manufacturers have developed top-load, high-efficiency washers with a large capacity but a smaller footprint, and they are becoming very popular. Front-load, high-efficiency washing machines are actually less popular than they were a few years ago. Many people never liked the front-load feature, even though they did like the high-efficiency washing they did, so the top-load HE washers are a better option for them, he said.

By the way, 95 percent of all washers and dryers sold are white, Lindblom said. Premium colors for washers and dryers were a fad that seems to have come and gone.

Stainless steel appliances are still the top choice in the kitchen when someone is buying a full appliance package. There is even the new "black stainless steel" now that has a different look and doesn't show fingerprints. People entering the showroom are immediately drawn to it, Lindblom said. Those who are replacing appliances piecemeal tend to match whatever they already have.

Today's trendy appliance for the kitchen is the induction electric cook top that cooks food beautifully, but stays cool to the touch. At the other end of the spectrum - cooling - French-door refrigerators with freezers on the bottom are most popular, he said.

As indicated by the name of the Lindbloms' store, they sell a select grouping of brands. Maytag was purchased by Whirlpool, so Advanced Maytag sells Maytag, Whirlpool, Kitchen Aid and Amana appliances exclusively, which earns them the right to exclusive offers from the appliance giant, Whirlpool Corp., which makes all four lines.

"Kitchen Aid is their premium brand. Maytag and Whirlpool are the middle of the road lines with Maytag being known for dependability and Whirlpool being known as the trendier brand. Amana is the value brand, popular in rentals and with first-time buyers on a budget," Lindblom said.

"Eighty-five percent of the Whirlpool Corp.'s appliances are designed, engineered and assembled in the United States. They make more appliances in the United States than all of the other companies combined, and that matters today - to our customers and to us. Besides that, they offer good quality and fair prices," he said.

"We have 90 models on display in our 1,500-square-foot showroom. We show five kitchen suites with mock cabinets and matching appliances so people can see what a kitchen could look like. Two of the suites display Kitchen Aid appliances and there is one suite each of the other three brands. The rest of the appliances on display are shown 'loose,' by category," Lindblom said.

Specialty items like beverage coolers and bar refrigerators can be ordered, but are not displayed. Customers may also shop through Advanced Maytag's website at www.advancedmaytag.com.

The Lindbloms are also eyeing expansion into mattresses, outdoor gourmet grills and Whirlpool-made garage storage systems under the Gladiator name, he added.

"Our customers are very loyal to us with many still coming to us from the Franklin Park area where our former store was located," he said. "We have many second- and third-generation customers. Their parents and grandparents bought their appliances from our dad and now they are buying their appliances from us. They are people who believe in long-term relationships with family businesses and they also believe in doing business the old-fashioned way.

"Now that we have been in Schaumburg for 13 years, we have also developed a strong following in Schaumburg, Hoffman Estates and Roselle," Lindblom said.

"In addition, we have been seeing a shift in consumer perception. Many millennials have an affinity for smaller, locally owned stores that hire from the local community and offer great customer service. This is a slow but growing movement and we love it," he said.

Advanced Maytag is set apart from the competition by the fact that it has its own factory-trained delivery, installation and service teams. It also sells appliance parts to those who want to repair their own appliances.

"We do it all for our customers and they appreciate that. We have three fully stocked trucks on the road and we prescreen all of our repair calls so we can have any parts we think might be necessary on the truck when it arrives at the call. Our goal is to get things repaired in one trip," Lindblom said.

"We also have a very stable workforce. We are like family because many of our people have worked here for 15 or 20 years and their customers have gotten to know them. Over time, they have also become very knowledgeable specialists," he said.

For more information, call Advanced Maytag at (847) 524-3500.