Nine people who were forced to flee their homeland will share photos and stories about their lives in Chicago.Click here for more information.

Join us at 6:30 p.m. for light refreshments.

The program starts at 7 p.m.

Wed., Nov. 16 at 6:30 p.m.

Sulzer Regional Library – Auditorium

Owner Bob Koester is preparing to celebrate his 84th birthday at his new shop.View Full Caption

Forward Chicago

IRVING PARK — Bob Koester can’t quit the record business.

At 83, Koester could be forgiven for kicking back after closing up the Jazz Record Mart, a Chicago fixture since the 1950s, earlier this year.

But Koester, who also owns the Delmark Records label, doesn’t know the meaning of retirement.

“I’m gonna die in the saddle, I think,” he said in a recent interview with Forward Chicago.

Though he sold the Jazz Record Mart’s inventory to Wolfgang’s Vault back in February, Koester has since collected enough LPs, in addition to Delmark’s catalog, to open a new shop: Bob’s Blues & Jazz Mart at 3419 W. Irving Park Road.

“People kept offering me collections, and I kept buying them,” Koester told the Tribune.

To celebrate the store’s grand opening, Koester, who was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in the ’90s, is hosting free in-store performances Saturday and Oct. 29, which coincides with his 84th birthday.

Swing by at 1 p.m. Saturday to catch Studebaker John in concert. Blues guitarists Lurrie Bell and Johnny B. Moore are scheduled to play at 1 p.m. Oct. 29.

Bob’s Blues & Jazz Mart is open 10:30 a.m.-6 p.m., Monday through Saturday.

, a Chicago fixture since the 1950s, earlier this year.

But Koester, who also owns the Delmark Records label, doesn’t know the meaning of retirement.

“I’m gonna die in the saddle, I think,” he said in a recent interview with Forward Chicago.

Though he sold the Jazz Record Mart’s inventory to Wolfgang’s Vault back in February, Koester has since collected enough LPs, in addition to Delmark’s catalog, to open a new shop: Bob’s Blues & Jazz Mart at 3419 W. Irving Park Road.

“People kept offering me collections, and I kept buying them,” Koester told theTribune.

To celebrate the store’s grand opening, Koester, who was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in the ’90s, is hosting free in-store performances Saturday and Oct. 29, which coincides with his 84th birthday.

Swing by at 1 p.m. Saturday to catch Studebaker John in concert. Blues guitaristsLurrie Bell and Johnny B. Moore are scheduled to play at 1 p.m. Oct. 29.

Bob’s Blues & Jazz Mart is open 10:30 a.m.-6 p.m., Monday through Saturday.

By Jean A.

Despite achy knees I walked to the local post office on Damen and Montrose, intending to send off a piece I had written for the Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s Foundations.  Few people were in the station, and I gave my envelope to the postal carrier. “A dollar fifteen,” he said.

As I swirled my hand around in the dregs of my purse, I realized I had left my wallet at home.  A woman standing directly behind me said, “I’ll pick it up.”  I was totally taken aback, embarrassed at such an oversight.  “Oh, ” she said, “I’ve done the very same thing.”  Well, with much gratitude, I accepted her generosity and said I’d put the $1.15 in the collection plate.

I walked out of the post office, struck by the random goodness of people in this big city.  I was due for a meeting in the 47th Ward office to plan for the up-coming Ward Health Fair on September 24th.  I walked into the office and, sitting at the welcome desk was the very person, Mary, who had so generously paid my postal costs.  I recognized her immediately, but she didn’t recognize me.  “This is amazing!  I can now pay you back,” (since I had returned home to get my wallet).  “Oh, no. How can you have such a good feeling for $1.15,” she replied.  I said, “You can’t even get a cup of coffee for that price.”

And that is one more of the heart-warming stories to share about this city, filled with so many other kinds of stories.  Keep these in your mind.