Project: Hinsdale Golf Club, Clarendon Hills, IL
General Manager: Mark Jablonski
Assistant General Manager: Jacqueline West
Architect: OKW Architects, Inc., Chicago
As you approach the Hinsdale Golf Club, you immediately sense you are someplace special. When you walk through the doors, you realize this is a club with a deep heritage from 1898 and its members hold Hinsdale Golf Club close to their hearts. After two clubhouse fires, the club’s third building was constructed in 1922-1923 providing the interior design opportunity to set the stage for decades to come. Hinsdale Golf Club is proud to be celebrating its 125th Anniversary and in preparation was pleased to welcome Shelby Williams to the opportunity to manufacture chairs for the clubhouse’s grand ballroom.
While OKW was the architect on the 2019 multi-million-dollar lower-level renovation of the club, their expertise was brought in to assist the decision-making process on the new chairs for the grand ballroom. Assistant General Manager Jacqueline West worked with OKW, the Food & Beverage Operations team and a special committee of members to find the best fit for Hinsdale Golf Club. Jacqueline is a hospitality expert with many years invested across six different clubs in multiple states. When asked about the project, she gave us some sensible advice: neutral colors are the best bet. Hinsdale hosts events from small private luncheons to glamourous holiday galas and weddings. Typically, each event features different schemes such as tablecloths, floral arrangements, and decor, so the chairs need to coincide with all events.
The Hinsdale Golf Club is adorned with original hardwood flooring and classic architectural features. Therefore, choosing a metal chair would not be suitable for the club’s traditional décor. The final selection was 300 of the Shelby Williams 4011 Stackable Wood Chairs, a classic stackable club chair made from solid European Beech. The club resets the space several times each day, and the chairs stack was essential. To help the staff reconfigure the space without risking physical strain or damaging the chairs, we also provided Hinsdale with our Flat Transportation Carts.
When asked, “Why Shelby Williams?”, Jacqueline said,
"different clubs require different furniture, but Hinsdale needed something special, and Shelby Williams manufactures chairs that last for years."