Arlington Heights train station newsstand staying open

Commuters will still be able to pick up their morning coffee and newspaper at the downtown Arlington Heights train station after a potential closure of its newsstand was averted.

Gateway Newsstand, which operates a shop inside the village-owned station, has been paying $900 monthly rent since opening in 2014. Representatives of Gateway's owner, Tobmar International, said sales have been flat the last three years, and without a reduction in rent, they didn't plan to exercise their five-year lease option.

So village officials agreed to reduce the monthly rent to $600, keeping the business in place through October 2024.

In a memo to the village board, village staff said if the shop closed, they would have had to issue a request for proposals and negotiate a new lease, assuming there would be interest in the location.

Village staff said Gateway, which is open from 5 a.m. to 2 p.m. weekdays, also provides a presence that enhances security in the station.