09/17/2026
Meet three generations of the Forrest family who work or have worked at Abt. Devon, Jason, and Terry Forrest collectively have over 70 years of experience at Abt, and you've likely seen a lot of their work just by walking in the front door or browsing the sales floor.
With 53 years of Abt experience, Terry is a very familiar face among our employees and customers. "I started as a delivery guy in 1967 with Bob Abt. I delivered, answered phones, made sales, and started in the first store on Milwaukee Avenue (in Logan Square)." Terry witnessed every expansion, saying, "I've been through every move, and helped load all the merchandise from one store to the next." After six years of retirement, Terry is enjoying his free time on the golf course and pickleball court.
Terry's son, Jason, now works in the woodshop, but like his father, he started in delivery before moving into custom kitchens. His craftsmanship eventually led him to help build the Abt Inspiration Studio. Looking back, Jason says, "Abt has been a part of me my entire life. It’s amazing to me how the store has grown and what it has become." His favorite part of the job is "watching old sections of the store transform into cool new spaces." His work has helped shape some of the store's newest attractions and departments.
Last but certainly not least is Devon, whose Abt history is just getting started. "When I first started at Abt, I worked the first shift in the warehouse, but since fall last year I've been in the woodshop." While Devon focuses on carpentry and Jason handles physical construction, both are helping build what's next. Devon recently helped install our rooftop air conditioning units via helicopter, calling the experience "so surreal." What he loves most about the job is that "every day is different and I'm always learning something new."
The Forrests are an amazing three-generation case, but they're just one example of why Abt truly is a family business in every sense of the word.
Read the full spotlight on the blog: https://ow.ly/GkJw50ZOOEC
