Honquest History

When the entrepreneurial bug bit Richard Honquest, it bit hard.  Being the typical Capricorn, his beginning was humble, enabling him to grow with a good foundation.  Always having a creative mind, and wanting to eventually get into the home furnishings business, he started a drapery business out of the back of his station wagon.  The first steps were establishing accounts with fabric vendors and finding a seamstress.  The seamstress, a woman making draperies in the basement of her home in Chicago, became a very important asset and a lifelong friend.  

The next step was to find customers!! Elk Grove Village was in the formative stages at that time, and Richard was awarded the contract to make the draperies for all the models.   He then started ringing doorbells in Elk Grove as new houses sprouted up, and the business was on its way!   Many of the drapery customers wanted help with designing and furnishing their homes, so Richard established accounts with furniture vendors and began the next step on the ladder.

The business had by now outgrown the back of the station wagon.  He purchased an old general store in Addison and opened a drapery workroom there, along with offices, a very small area to display a few pieces of furniture, and an interior design studio.  Word of Richard’s design talent spread rapidly, especially in the Oak Park-River Forest area, and his client list grew rapidly.   Rachel came on board in 1967 to ensure orders were placed and invoices sent.  In the late sixties and seventies the decorating of model homes prompted the next growth spurt.  Working for major developers, Honquest models were talked about through the Chicagoland area as well as in New York, New Jersey, Arizona and Florida.  Numerous magazines and newspapers featured the award-winning models decorated by Honquest.    The exposure of the company and the profits earned during this time enabled Richard’s dream of having an actual showroom start to become a reality.

While driving through Barrington one day, he spotted the old Jefferson Ice House.  Learning that the owner wanted to develop the building and having great vision, he saw potential in this empty building, and on a handshake with the owner, leased half of the building!   This proved to be quite a challenge to “recycle” a former ice storage facility into a beautiful furniture showroom, but the showroom opened in 1976.  The showroom in the Ice House strengthened the Honquest reputation for selling fine home furnishings and accessories along with professional interior design service, the foundation of the business.  Again, the company realized good publicity and enjoyed very good years in the Ice House prior to moving to the present location on Barrington Road.

In 1984 the first phase of the present building opened providing more space for outstanding displays and expansion of both the residential and contract interior design business.  In 1987 the second phase of the building was completed to further expand the showroom and add an on-site warehouse.  In 1993 a second floor was added over the parking lot for additional showroom.  The showroom space now totals 60,000 square feet with the warehouse occupying another 24,000 square feet.

Honquest Fine Furnishings is recognized throughout the country as one of the finest home furnishing stores.  None of the success of Honquest Fine Furnishings could have been accomplished without many extraordinary employees over the years and all the wonderful customers we have served.