Welcome to Division Street, NBC5’s blog about Chicago news and politics. I’m your host, Steve Rhodes, a 20-year veteran of the newspaper and magazine world and more recently, the proprietor of the Chicago news and culture review, The Beachwood Reporter. Division Street is both an homage to the Studs Terkel book about the divisions in American politics as well as a metaphoric nod to the real street in Chicago that stretches from the infamous Rush Street entertainment district through the gentrifying arts district of Wicker Park and largely Hispanic and African American neighborhoods on the West Side to the suburbs. In this way, Division Street encapsulates the dynamism and divisions of the city, and we hope this blog does that too.
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Division Street 
In a media culture that’s market-driven and mostly shallow, Steve Rhodes offers the ideal kind of fearsome reporting that digs deep and keeps a critical eye on the powerful. He keeps his attention on news of value and doggedly tracks it instead of letting it fade with yesterday’s headlines.
Division Street is a most welcome addition to the Chicago media scene. I love the Beachwood Reporter and I’ve already added this to my daily bookmarks. Thanks to NBC5 for supporting this. Finally, we can get some real reporting, commentary, and information instead of releases directly from the Mayor or County PR people.
Before I read Studs Terkel Division St., my dad used to tell me about when he was a kid and lived near Divison and Robie St.(now Damen). His parents had a milk depot on Western Avenue in 1910. I recently took a bus ride up Divison ,and there are still buildings standing from that era.
I hung around Division Street in the 1950’s, Just before they started to build Sandburg Village. A friend used to have a 3rd floor apartment at 11 E. Division across the alley from PaPa Milono’s… and during the summer… because there were no air conditioners… the smell of pizzia filled the air. There were small restaurants like the Ting-a-ling with Swedish style cooking… a few Japanese places and on the corner of Division and Clark was the B&G … that had stools and several “u” shape counters.
There were several gay bars and several theaters… including PaPa Marks who’s tag line on their awning at State and Division read…”Known coast to coast for their fruit salad sundeas!” The subway stop was called State & Perversion! Oak Street beach had the best mix of sunbathers, including many Playboy bunnies, and by the late 50’s, the first frisbees and hula hoops showed up… including a spread in “LIFE” magazine.
I now reside just a few blocks from there and often think back of my times and my dad’s.
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