CHICAGO — For more than eight decades, residents of Edison Park could count on one thing: a familiar face handing them the day’s paper at Kaage’s Newsstand on the corner of Northwest Highway and Oliphant.
Now, after 82 straight years — open seven days a week, even through blizzards — the stand will close for good on June 29, ending an era of Chicago street-corner tradition.
“It’s time,” said owner Mike Kaage, who started working at the stand when he was just five years old, back in 1961, wearing a change dispenser and apron much like the one he still wears today (WBBM Newsradio).
Started By Grandpa, Run Like Family
Kaage’s grandfather opened the stand in 1943, during the height of World War II. For generations, it became a neighborhood anchor — operating under an honorary street sign named after the Kaage family itself.
Mike Kaage never missed a beat, handing papers to regulars with a smile, calling them by name as they drove up. Even at 5 a.m., there was always someone waiting — and Kaage was there.
Best Day in Business: After the Cubs Won It All
While business has declined over the past 25 years, Kaage remembers one magical morning in 2016 when the newsstand saw its biggest rush ever:
“After the Cubs won the World Series, it was our best day,” Kaage told WBBM’s Nancy Harty.
Papers flew off the stand, customers lined up down the block, and Chicagoans came together for one historic headline.
Retirement, Reflection, and Grandkids
Kaage says the decision to retire became clear after his wife passed away in February. Now, he plans to spend time babysitting his two grandchildren, stepping away from the only job he’s ever known.
Even in these final days, Kaage remains committed — still calling out names, still knowing who prefers the Tribune or the Sun-Times.
“It’s not just about the papers,” one regular said. “It’s about Mike. He’s been a part of our mornings for decades.”
Do you have memories of Kaage’s Newsstand or stories of old Chicago paper routes?
Share your tributes in the comments on ChicagoSuburbanFamily.com — let’s celebrate the people and places that made this city feel like home.
