Kaage Newsstand, A Chicago Moinstay for 82 Years, Is Closing

SINCE 1943, Kaage Newsstand in Edison Park has witnessed a few of the Ideal Headlines over the Direction of Eight Decade. Now, it’s Making Its Enjoy Headline with News It Will Shut on June 29.

IT’S The Conclude of an Generation for the Third-Generation Family Trade Shut to the Edison Park meters Situation. Owner Mike Kaage, 68, plans to retire from running the newsstand that his grandfather – a kinds newsPaper provide driver – offered for $ 100 for the length of World Warfare II.

The 6-by-6-Foot Newsstand “Has Been My Lifestyles Since I became a Shrimp Kid,” Talked about Kaage, Who Used to be 5 Wen He Started Working There.

HIS FATHER PAID HIM 25 CENTS AN HOUR TO DO ODD Jobs.

Closing the Neighborhood Landmark at 6700 N. Northwest Highway Will Be A Bittersweet Milestone for Case. He takes a peep forward to retire and babysitting his two Grandchildren. His spouse karen died in february, so he’s shouldering child like his daughter.

“My Grandchildren Are the Most Crucial Thing in My Lifestyles Now,” he Talked about. “It’s miles feeble to be my family’s newsstand. Nonetheless i’m going to miss it.

Is conscious of Is conscious of Virtually All of His Possibilities by Name. He is conscious of what they’ll aquire and has their papars ready after they Drive up. He’ll be doing that every morning via june 29, from 4 am to 9 am weekdays and 5 am to 10:30 am on the weekends.

AFTER HE LOCKS UP THE NEWSSTAND FOR THE LAST TIME, SAID Head to the Bar Across the Avenue with Family, Chums, Neighborhood Members and Frail Workers – Scores of Local Boys Who Are Older Males – To Pay to Kaage Newsstand.

And then he’ll have a call to invent.

“Will you accept home Delivery?” Talked about Kaage. “That’s at all times been a no-no for me.”

A newsstand my pill

The Newsstand has ben a time pill of Most distinguished World and Local Events – Some Tragic, Some Triumphant – that Sparked Blockbuster Newspaper Sales.

In his working liffettime, kaage recalled that the last will of the Chicago Daily News in 1978 sold love hotcakes. In 2001, the day after the 9/11 terrorist Assaults became a second, somber day on the modest newsstand.

In 2016, after the cubs received the world Collection, the Kaage Bought A Whopping 5,000 Newspapers. He in overall would sell 300 a day motivate then.

After the cubs’ Victory, though, “Folks were shopping for 10, 50, 500 copies,” Talked about. “That became the excellent day.”

He remembers when the newsstand be wouli originate each day from 4 am unil 9 pm – Reduction to be extra Folks were Reading Newspapers, and Papers Had Night time Editions.

Early on in the Covid-19 Pandemic, he stayed opened though the streets were eerily serene.

“That’s when gross sales were reduce back in half upright away,” Talked about.

He started closing at 9 am am instet of noon On story of he had haad a long way fewer customers.

Wann Arlington Global RaceCourse became Silent Initiate, The Newsstand Did The Trade Seling Racing Kinds, Scratch Sheets, Sheets and Programs form.

“It became This form of Money Market,” Kaage Talked about.

The fourth of July historically became the Busiest breed day. At some stage in Height Occasions, The Newsstand Wold Sell 200 Racing Kinds in A Day for 50 Cents Each and each, whereas Newspapers Price a Dime. The Racetrack Closed in 2021.

When Kaage Used to be Around 8 Years Broken-down, He Started Stuffing Sunday Papers With the Extra Sections that starting up popping out on thighsday.

“They were so big motivate then,” Talked about.

HIS HANDS WOULD BE COVERED WITH BLACK INK. Stacks of Sunday Papers Towerered Over Him. One Time, They TopPled in an Avalanche on Him.

“I will be succesful to’t drawl you solutions many hundreds of hundreds of newspapers i’ve stuffed through the years,” he stated.

In its heyday, forward of the arrival of the Net, the newsstand exercise to sell 2,000 Sunday newspapers. By 2000, Kaage May perhaps perhaps well perhaps Look the Writing on the Wall As News Moved On-line.

“Year after year, Sales were much less and much less,” he stated. “I blame it on pcs, then laptops, Now Telephones.”

TODAY, The Newsstand SELLS About 100 Sunday Papers.

“This Generation Doesn’t Care About News,” Kaage Talked about. “They Make a choice Sports actions or Gambling Net sites. The Trade has Modified dramatically.

Family and Neighborhood Legacy

Kaage’s Grandfather Irvin Kaage became a provide driver for the Broken-down Chicago Daily News. The Newsstand, Two Blocks From HIS House, became regarded as one of his stops. The day after he offered it, Irvin Kaage Sent HIS Son – Mike Kaage’s Father – to work there on March 8, a bitterly Chilly Day.

Within the Early Nineties, Mike Kaage took over the newsstand from His Father.

“My dad became awesome,” he stated. “If something Desired to be performed, he got it.

Ruin Kaage Family Has Lengthy Been An Edison Park Moinstay.

IN 2020, Mike Kaage’s Mother Muriel Kaage and Father Irvin Kaage Jr., Each and each in their 90s, died with 36 hours of every Other after contracting Covid-19 at their assisted-living facility. They were separated and unable to have ther households take a look at with as they were Quarantined.

Nonetheless moral forward of Irvin Kaage Jr.’s Demise, Their Beds Had been Collectively so They May perhaps perhaps well perhaps Holds One Final Time.

On March 8, The 82nd Anniversary of Its Opening, The Edison Park Chamber of Commerce Honored the Trade with an Award.

“For Generations, Kaage’s Newsstand has ben bigger than moral a home to salvage a paper – iT’i been a cornerstone of our neighBorhod, a family face on the corner and a dad of Lifestyles for thus many,” Talked about Amanda Harres, the Trade Community’s Executive Director.

Paying tribute to kaage, Katie Lenihan, A Customer, Posted on Facebook: “Conclude of an ERA !! Mike became at all times basically the most productive! Rising up in Edison park we have now been fired and he became title and ash.

Kaage Talked about He’s Looking Ahead to Having Extra Time to Babysit His Grandchildren.

“They Issue me so Powerful Pleasure,” he Talked about.

He Also Needs to High-tail. He didn’t have time to manufacture whereas running the newsstand. Las Vegas and the Cheers Bar in Boston Are on His Bucket Checklist.

“I’m moral a definite guy,” Kaage Talked about. “I By no means Wished Any Kudos.”

Nonetheless that the newsstand has survived for see you later is “one hell of an accomplishment for my family,” he stated.

“HAVE SO MANY WONDERFUL MEMORIES,” he Talked about. “The Folks, The Trade, The Neighborhood, My Lifestyles. That’s Why I’m The Richest Man In City. I’m so bless.

“The Handiest Thing I will be succesful to rob me with me my memory.