The beloved Christmas tree lot in Richton Park, Illinois, which served as the backdrop for the Hallmark movie “Christmas Under The Stars,” has officially closed after four decades of operation. The family-run lot, located along Sauk Trail beside Joann’s Food & Liquor, did not open for the 2023 holiday season due to declining sales and difficulties in sourcing trees.
Rick Reinbold, the mayor of Richton Park and a member of the family that operated the lot, stated, “We finally had to pull the plug.” He cited a significant drop in business over the past four years, noting that while they were breaking even in two of those years, they experienced losses in the last two. “We had to decide not to do it this year,” he explained.
At its peak, the tree lot sold over 600 trees in the weeks leading up to Christmas. In recent years, that number dwindled to just 150 trees sold, prompting a difficult decision. Reinbold attributed the decline to a shift in consumer preferences, where artificial trees and big-box store sales increasingly dominated the market.
Sourcing the trees also became a challenge as growers exited the wholesale tree business, making it harder to find suppliers that could provide trees at reasonable prices. “Our growers, over the years, some have gotten out of the wholesale tree business,” Reinbold said. “It’s been difficult to find suppliers that could provide us trees at a reasonable cost.”
The lot had long been a staple in the community, attracting customers from neighboring towns such as Park Forest and Chicago Heights. Reinbold emphasized that their focus was on affordability, stating, “We weren’t a lot that sold $200 trees. We wanted to make sure we were affordable for all those years.”
The closure of the tree lot reflects a broader trend affecting independent retailers in the suburban landscape. Reinbold noted that the number of local tree lots has significantly decreased over the past decade. “I think the writing has been on the wall for local lots for years,” he said. “In our region, there used to be seven or eight, and everyone was making money. That was 10 or 15 years ago.”
The absence of the lot this year has been felt deeply by the community. Reinbold received calls from disappointed customers, including Rikk Dunlap, the writer of the Hallmark film, who expressed concern over the lot’s closure. Although they considered posting a sign to explain the absence, Reinbold felt it was evident upon seeing the empty lot.
“There’s a lot of disappointed families and we feel bad about that,” he admitted. “It’s heavy on our heart because we really felt it was a community obligation to have that available. But we weren’t able to keep it going.”
Despite the closure, Reinbold has not ruled out the possibility of reopening the lot in the future, contingent on securing a reliable tree supplier. “If we’re able to find a provider that can give us what we need for our community, we’d consider it,” he stated. “But it would depend on a number of factors. But we want to be open to the possibility of next year, mostly because it’s hard for me to let go.”
The tree lot’s legacy includes cherished memories for many families. Reinbold recalls the joy of children as they selected their trees, often receiving candy canes as they searched for the perfect holiday centerpiece. “I think the kids were the best part of it,” he said, reflecting on the joy and excitement of the season.
As the community grieves the loss of their seasonal tradition, Reinbold takes pride in the lot’s past, especially its connection to the Hallmark movie that brought national attention to Richton Park. “We got national recognition over that,” he said. “It was great for the lot, and great for the village to have that.”
For now, the Reinbold family holds onto the memories created over four decades of Christmas tree sales, as they navigate the uncertain future of this cherished community fixture.