NOW OPEN!
The Grand Opening and Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony 
was held at 10am, Tuesday, June 19. 

From left to right: Joe Angelastri, new owner of Chicago-Main Newsstand; Evanston Mayor Lorraine Morton; Tom Levy, son of Jim Levy who owned the stand from 1884-1993; Rocco Sapienza, nephew of Victor Pinto, original owner who opened the stand in the 1930s; Theresa Pinto Brown Ruby, daughter of Pinto; and Evanston 3rd Ward Alderman Melissa Wynne.

   September 1993   Chicago-Main Newsstand closes its doors after being perhaps the premier newsstand in the Midwest for over 50 years.

   June 1997   Frustrated after several attempts to work with the CTA to get a newsstand running again at 860 Chicago, the City of Evanston begins to consider purchasing the site itself.

   October 1997   City Manager Roger Crum is authorized to begin negotiations with the CTA towards the city purchase of the land.

   March 1999   After continuing complaints, it's suggested that the newsstand be demolished and replaced with greenspace.

   October 1999   CTA approves sale of the property and Evanston City Council approves its demolition.

   February 2000   City starts to interview candidates to operate newsstand.

   March 2000   City Newsstand is selected and negotiations begin.

   July 20, 2000   City Newsstand receives the key for 860 Chicago. 

  July 24, 2000   As of today, 3,673 different magazines have already been ordered for Chicago-Main, with thousands more to come.

   August 3, 2000   An additional 742 magazine titles were ordered today, bringing the current total to 4,415 magazines already on order.  More than a thousand titles will be ordered over the next few weeks.

   August 23, 2000   Site plan submitted to the City Economic Development Committee.

   September 15, 2000   City of Evanston issues 3 permits -- including a dumpster permit -- that allow the rehab to begin.

   September 18, 2000   Work begins on the interior.

   November 13, 2000   The original neon sign is picked up by our restoration company and put in storage until it's ready to be hung.

   January 2001  The roof is removed and the masons begin to work on the south wall.

   February 5, 2001  The steel framework for the new roof is erected.

   February 23, 2001  Roof completed.

   February 28, 2001  Rooftop heating/cooling plant installed.

   March 7, 2001  Exterior masonry on north wall is completed -- electricity turned on.

   March 20, 2001  The original neon sign, after being refurbished, is hung.

   March 23, 2001  The new glass and aluminum storefront is installed, including windows on the north wall.

   April 2001  Interior carpentry, wiring, and painting continue throughout April.

   April 25, 2001  Magazines begin to arrive.

   May 1, 2001  Tile flooring is put down.

   May 3, 2001  Magazine racks are brought in.

   May 7, 2001  Merchandising layout is finalized / shelves are labeled.

   May 9, 2001  Installation of interior lighting fixtures begins.

   June 14, 2001 Preview opening begins.

   June 19, 2001  Grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony.

   (Bookmark this page and come back often for updates and a specific opening date!)

June 19, 1997 City ponders newsstand site purchase

Oct. 16, 1997 City may buy newsstand site

March 18, 1999 Merchants hit ‘eyesore’ newsstand

Oct. 21, 1999 City buys former newsstand space

March 9, 2000 City officials pick applicant to open talks on newsstand

April 27, 2000 Newsstand pact OK'd

July 13, 2000 City approves lease to open newsstand at Chicago, Main

August 31, 2000 Boom shows no sign of letting up

June 7, 2001 Newsstand ready to turn new page at Chicago, Main

June 21, 2001  Newsstand opens to raves

CONSTRUCTION GALLERY


The Sign is back!  See it  being hung and more new photos in our
Construction Gallery.

Chicago-Main Memories     

    Wow, you brought the newsstand (and that fabulous old neon sign) back! You've also brought back a lot of memories for me: I used to work at the newsstand in the late 70s - Mr. Brown was the owner, and Mike Dempster was the manager. My hours were usually very early in the morning (I'd come in at around 5:00 AM and handle the morning rush until it was time to go to
school) and late at night (until 1:00 AM on Saturday nights). My job was to stand out front under the canvas tent, wear my little smock and change machine, and keep an eye on all the papers which were kept outside. In the morning, the news agency (located in a garage in the alley between Main and Hinman, behind The Main) would bring the bundles of papers and drop them on the curb; I'd unbundle them and put them in the coin operated machines and on the wooden shelves. I used an unbent coat hanger down the coin slot to open the machines and fill them. People would pull up to the curb in their cars and I'd bring their papers out to them. I remember how unbelievably cold it was at 5:30 in the morning during the winter, especially since I
couldn't get into the building itself and warm up (it was locked up until 7:00 AM). On certain days (e.g. Sundays) I'd "stuff" the papers (the different sections of the paper came in separate bundles, and needed to be combined prior to sale). Once in a while I was allowed to cashier on the old mechanical cash registers - now THAT was fun! I even chopped up the ice that had formed on the sidewalk on the Main street side of the building so people wouldn't slip and fall. And I did it all for $1.10 an hour! ;-) Thanks for bringing back the newsstand - and the memories.
-- Scott Coleman

     Chicago-Main was the kind of a place you could go for one of 3,000 U.S. & International magazines.  They carried newspapers from all over the U.S.A. & Canada, were the beating heart of nightlife in Evanston, and they let you alone if you just wanted to browse.  I supplied them with independent, offbeat periodicals in the late 70s and they were always eager to add something new for their many customers.
-- Bob Katzman
Magazine Memories Vintage Periodicals

     In the 60s and 70s Chicago-Main was the only place I could find my European automotive magazines. I would drive up from Logan Square to get them.
-- Bob Hoover
I've Been Framed Picture Framing

     I'm looking forward to your new newsstand. I used to drive to Evanston from Milwaukee to visit it in the early 90s. Best of luck with it.
-- Jim Romenesko
Romenesko's Media News

     I used to work at the newsstand, from about 1980 til 1982. At that time, Mike Dempster was the manager. His eclectic tastes in reading ensured that the newsstand had a fine selection of books, as well as the magazines and newspapers the stand was known for. There was a wide range of people working there too. Many were students at ETHS or Northwestern, although it was a good place to work as a second job if you were interested in books. I spent much of my pay at that store -- money well-spent. I'm gratified to find that my fondness for the newsstand is so widely shared, and I look forward to the day I can browse the shelves again.
-- Susan Smith

Do you have any special memories of the old Chicago-Main Newsstand?  We'd like to hear them.  E-mail us at Memories@citynewsstand.com or mail them to Memories, c/o City Newsstand, 4018 N. Cicero, Chicago, IL  60641