After 80 years in Forest Park, Chicago Suburban Lumber Sales on Franklin Street, next to the CTA Green Line and Metra railyard, is closing up shop, and the property is on the market.
The decision to shutter the family-owned business comes as large corporations take over the lumber and building materials business.
“The entire industry is being bought out by these venture capitalist groups. The old ma and pa lumber stores are gone. They’re all owned by these big investment groups,” said Mark Romano, one of 13 children of Joe Romano Sr., who started Chicago Suburban Lumber in 1946…