Ask anyone who shopped at Robeson’s Department Store and they’ll tell you that it was a special place, a true relic of the past. Started by a young, ambitious man named Frank Kern (F.K.) Robeson in 1874 as a small dry goods store, Robeson’s became an iconic shopping center in downstate Illinois.

This book tells the story of the Robeson family of Champaign, a family committed to a retail philosophy of putting people and service before the bottom line. It is a story of a family, a dream, and a growing city, all intertwined with the fascinating history of our country.

This 365-page hardcover book features hundreds of photos.