The man behind that GOING OUT OF BUSINESS! sign

You've seen them standing on the corners. Or maybe you've driven right past not noticing the men behind those skinny billboards. The signs blare, "EVERYTHING ON SALE! CIRCUIT CITY CLOSING! 30% OFF!"

And while you drive past in the rain and the heat and the cold, you might wonder, "Who would take a job like that?"

"Most of us are homeless," says Mike, who asked that his last name not be used. "It's an OK job for now."

Today, he is working on Milwaukee Avenue just north of the shopping mecca in Vernon Hills. A stiff wind from the north is pushing temperatures into the teens. He has long johns under his jeans. He's wearing two coats and a knit hat under his hood. His full gray beard helps take the sting out of the whipping winds. He has hand warmers, but hasn't used them yet.

"It's only gonna get worse," he says. "I'm trying to wait til it gets colder."

Mike works for a "big liquidation company" from St. Louis. "They get the word out to the homeless community and hire the guys at minimum wage."

When the big chain stores go belly-up, Mike and his co-workers hit city and suburban streets.

"We've worked intersections in Milwaukee, too," he said.

He grew up in Arlington Heights and worked 15 years as a supervisor at Osco Drug before he got laid off. Since then, he's worked as a carpet layer and for a company that installs home theaters. He's been on and off the streets for the last three years.

In this job, the rules are simple. The sign has to stay upright for the entire five-hour shift. You can't strap it to a light pole or jam the post into the ground.

"But when nature calls," he says, "we can lay it down for a little while."

About 10 feet tall and 18 inches wide, the sign has multiple uses beyond shouting at drivers.

"I use it for shade in the summer, and it blocks the wind in the winter." But that's only if the sun and wind are coming from the right direction. The signs have to face the traffic, of course. Sometimes things just don't line up.

Most people drive past without looking, but Mike says there are some nice folks out there.

"Some people beep and wave. I've had some others hand me a hot cup of coffee, too. There are some decent people out there."