Al Grace, a Rockford icon known to one generation for his music and the next for his quirky appliance ads, died today at the age of 98. Grace owned Al Grace Appliance, 811 W. Riverside Blvd., which opened in 1999 after a relocation and expansion from Al Grace Appliance & TV, 312 Ninth St., which he opened in 1962.

“He was just an unbelievable man,” said Lou Graceffa, the eldest of Al’s three children. “I wish I had half his personality.” Besides personality, Grace attributed his success to customer service when it came to competing with big box stores. “The loss of Al Grace represents the loss of an icon of locally owned businesses,” said Einar Forsman, president and CEO of the Rockford Chamber of Commerce.