2025 Rewind: The year’s 15 most-read stories on TheRecordNorthShore.org

Before we go forward, let’s look back.

The Record North Shore published 930 articles in 2025, covering everything from local government and education to public safety to high school sports to the people and moments that form our community.

There were hundreds of stories that moved you, so how do we choose? Well, we’ll let math do the work.

Here are the 15 most-read stories of 2025 on TheRecordNorthShore.org.

1. Highland Park Mexican restaurant ‘tried everything’ but will close in August (Aug. 7)

This story on the closing of local restaurant Blue Margarita caught the attention of the community — and then some. Reporter Samuel Lisec captured and reported owner Jose Rangel’s candid words about the modern challenges of running a business and tens of thousands of readers tuned in to read.

2. Waiting on Old Orchard, owner of The Bagel determined to reopen beloved deli in Skokie

More dining news near the top of the list for 2025. This story tapped into the local love felt for a Jewish deli that has hopes of returning to the North Shore. Here’s to a second helping of The Bagel news in 2026.

3. Winnetka crash kills 2 pedestrians, sends infant to hospital

A car struck a family out for a walk in May in a tragedy that rocked the community. The infant boy who was hospitalized did recover and return home. The Record published several followup stories on the progress of the investigation, which lasted several months.

4. NU professor from Skokie wins Nobel Prize for economics

The community celebrated the major accomplishment of Joel Mokyr, a Skokie man who earned a Nobel Prize for his work.

5. Former Wilmette parks employee admitted to regularly seeking, viewing ‘child erotica’ — and then became a park district volunteer

This Record investigation published in January detailed how a former park district employee continued volunteering for the district — including writing letters to children — after a police investigation revealed he regularly viewed “child erotica” using park district facilities and property.

6. Wake-Up Call: Buttermilk Cafe is on its way to long-vacant Bakers Square site (March 11)

And back to dining news. A growing breakfast/lunch franchise is the latest to claim the Bakers Square building on Skokie Boulevard in Wilmette. With construction underway, residents hope that the third time is a charm.

7. With assist from residents, Wilmette rejects Northwestern’s construction request (Aug. 15)

The Ryan Field Rebuild saga was a major part of 2024’s news cycle, but popped its head up briefly here in August, when Northwestern officials requested an adjustment to a contract with the Village of Wilmette. Wilmette denied the request.

8. ICE activity confirmed in Wilmette. Number of arrests remains unclear (Oct. 29)

In maybe the most compelling storyline of 2025, ground-level federal immigration enforcement came to the North Shore. The Record was first able to confirm a local federal operation in late October as residents told us of their encounters with federal agents.

9. Mariano’s is on the way out of Northfield, says Village (Feb. 4)

Major business news hit early in the year when the Village of Northfield announced that its only major grocery store was leaving town. Since, the Village has seen major interest from Sunset Foods; though that deal is not complete. Look for an update on that story early in 2026.

10. The Henry is next big item on Plaza del Lago’s menu

Shopping-center ins and outs, specifically in Wilmette, were of major interest to readers in 2025. Topping the pageviews is this story on a restaurant set to occupy an anchor space in Plaza del Lago.

11. Big-name rock bands get top billing at Winnetka Music Fest (Feb. 7)

Readers were happy to see this year’s lineup — led by The Revivalists and Cold War Kids — for the always-popular Winnetka Music Fest. The reveal for next year’s event will happen early in 2026. Stay tuned.

12. Looking for the next local shop? It’s Uncharted. (Jan. 24)

No. 2 in the “shopping center ins and outs” category. WS Development (owners of Plaza del Lago and Edens Plaza) announced it was bringing Uncharted, a side concept from The Paper Store, to Edens Plaza. The store is now open.

13. Burger Watch Wilmette: Wednesday’s the big day for Small Cheval (Aug. 8)

Readers could not get enough of Small Cheval’s quiet development. So when we finally discovered the opening date, we had to have some fun with the headline and story.

14. Like Village, Wilmette Park District ordinance responds to Operation Midway Blitz (Dec. 9)

The most-recent on this list, this piece recaps a Park Board decision related to federal immigration enforcement. And officials touted the approved measure as the first such measure from a park district in Illinois.

15. New grocery store pitches plans to replace Northfield Mariano’s (July 31)

Here is that update to the news story slotted higher on this list. This article details a public-meeting presentation about a new grocer interested in the Mariano’s space and a look at public documents that imply that grocer is Sunset Foods.

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