ORIGINS OF THE PIPE COMMUNITY IN CHICAGO
The roots of pipe smoking in Chicago trace back to the 1940s and 1950s, when the city was home to several iconic tobacco and pipe shops. Among the earliest were Iwan Ries & Co. (133 S. Wabash, Chicago), Cellini Pipe & Cigar Shop (Franklin Street, Chicago), Popela Pipes & Cigar Shop (5624 Cermak Road, Cicero), Paul E. Schickler (5 E. Chicago Street, Elgin), and Larson’s Pipe & Cigars (37 S. St. John Avenue, Highland Park). These stores became meeting places for pipe smokers, collectors, and artisans who shared a passion for fine pipes and tobaccos.
In 1963, Diana Silvius founded Up-Down Tobacco Shop at Burton and Wells Streets in Chicago, later relocating to 1550 N. Wells Street in 1976. It quickly became a cornerstone of the local pipe community. Before 1970, organized social gatherings were rare, but as local enthusiasts began hosting informal meetups, the foundations of what would become the Chicagoland Pipe Collectors Club (CPCC) started to form.
THE BIRTH OF ORGANIZED PIPE COLLECTORS IN CHICAGO
By the early 1970s, groups of Chicago-area pipe smokers were meeting at homes and local shops to share their collections and new tobaccos. In 1977, Diana Silvius created a club for her customers, the Sons of Briar (SOBs), with Paul Bender serving as president. Her shop also hosted pipe-smoking contests until Illinois’ non-smoking laws came into effect in 2008.
Around the same time, two informal communities emerged:
*The North Side Group, centered around Ty Anderle’s Davis Pipe & Tobacco Shop in Evanston, included members such as Ed Lehman, Lance Ridolfi, Dennis Di Piazza, Al Smith, Judd Perlson, Rich Kozarewicz, and Stan Ostroff.
*The South Side Group met at LaTours Pipe Shop in Homewood, including Stan Ostroff, Rich Kozarewicz, Jerry Torrence, Herman Schobel, Ed Kosticki, and Chuck Rio. Later members included Bob Makiddy, Clarence Mickles, Bill Amato, and Chuck Gray.
Eventually, through mutual friendships, the North and South side groups came together and began meeting jointly. By the late 1980s, they were calling themselves the Chicagoland Pipe Collectors Club. The CPCC was formally incorporated as a not-for-profit organization in 1995, with Michael Reschke serving as its first president and Paul Bender succeeding him for one term. According to the United Pipe Clubs of America, the CPCC’s founding date is listed as 1993, marking the beginning of its modern era.
FRANK BURLA — THE FOUNDER AND VISIONARY
No name is more closely tied to the Chicago Pipe Show than Frank Burla—the heart and driving force behind its creation and growth.
Born in Chicago Heights, Illinois, and raised in a working-class family, Frank was a man of discipline and intellect. A Vietnam veteran, he later served as a Special Agent for the FBI, while also pursuing a love of history and art, studying Greco-Roman history at Loyola University. In 1983, Frank and his wife Annette (Ann) hosted the first Chicagoland Antique Pipe Show—literally in their own home. They cleared furniture from the first floor, turning their kitchen and laundry room into exhibition space for pipe makers and collectors. The event attracted legendary guests such as Herb Ratner, Ben Rapaport, Stu Silber, Judd Perlson, Dr. Federico Baylaender, Dr. S. Peckus, and Cano Ozenger, among others. During the 1980s, Frank’s Antique Pipe Show ran concurrently with Dennis Di Piazza’s Briar Pipe Show, manager of the Tinder Box in Schaumburg. The two events merged in 1988, forming a single exhibition at Pheasant Run Resort in St. Charles, Illinois, which quickly became legendary in the hobby. By 1994, after retiring from the FBI, Frank was asked by the CPCC to direct a new, official Chicagoland pipe show. He agreed—on two conditions: he would need a reliable volunteer staff and at least $1,000 in seed money. Ten members each contributed $100 to get it started, including Bill Amato, Michael Reschke, Chuck Rio, Al Smith, Ed Lehman, Herm Schobel, John Goldberg, Judd Perlson, and John Loring. One year later, in 1996, the first CPCC Chicagoland International Pipe and Tobacciana Show took place at the Clarion International Quality Inn in Rosemont, Illinois, with Frank Burla as Show Director.
FRANK BURLA’S PERSONAL COLLECTION
Frank’s personal pipe collection was legendary. As he once said in the documentary Father the Flame:
“When we first got married, I had about 300 pipes. Well, today I have about 30,000. I just forgot to sell.”
His collection ranged from ancient pipes dating back to 450 B.C.—including indigenous peace pipes, Chinese opium pipes, early European briars, and rare meerschaums—to 20th-century artisan pieces. Frank viewed pipes not merely as tools for smoking but as works of art and historical artifacts representing culture, time, and place. His “pipe museum,” housed in his Illinois home, became a destination for collectors and historians alike.
THE GROWTH OF THE CHICAGO PIPE SHOW
Under Frank Burla’s tireless direction, the show quickly gained a reputation as the largest pipe exhibition in the world, drawing artisans, collectors, and enthusiasts from across the globe. The show’s journey included several homes:
- 1996: Clarion International Quality Inn, Rosemont IL
- 1997–2000: Ramada Inn, Harvey IL
- 2001: Indian Lakes Resort, Bloomingdale IL
- 2002–2019: Pheasant Run Resort, St. Charles IL
The move to Pheasant Run in 2002 cemented the show’s identity—its sprawling ballroom, central “smoking tent,” and welcoming atmosphere made it a cherished annual pilgrimage for the worldwide pipe community.
Frank’s showmanship and relentless energy transformed a regional hobby event into an international cultural gathering. He worked full-time to organize, promote, and expand the show, ensuring that it celebrated not only pipes but the artistry, craftsmanship, and fellowship behind them.
LEGACY AND THE MODERN ERA
Even after stepping down as Show Director, Frank remained the CPCC’s Show Director Emeritus and mentor to new generations of organizers. His leadership inspired the structure still in place today—volunteer-driven, inclusive, and dedicated to preserving the craft and camaraderie of pipe smoking. Following his passing in October 2021, the CPCC community honored him as a visionary whose legacy will forever define the spirit of the show.
After the beloved Pheasant Run Resort closed, the show briefly relocated, then found its new home at the Hyatt Regency O’Hare in Rosemont, Illinois—a fitting return to its roots. The Chicago Pipe Show is now scheduled annually for the first weekend of May, carrying forward Frank’s vision into the future.
Today, the Chicago Pipe Show stands as a celebration of artistry, history, and community—born from Frank Burla’s dream and built by the dedication of hundreds of collectors and volunteers. It continues to unite people from around the world, reminding all who attend that pipe collecting is not just about pipes—it’s about people, stories, and shared tradition.
“Stay smoking—and keep the fire of friendship alive.” — Frank Burla (1943 – 2021)
