Justin Kaufmann

“Off the Record” is a series of conversations with prominent Chicagoans in their communities. Tonight on Extension 720, Justin is joined by journalist and content director Erin Shea Smith at B-Sides Coffee + Tea in Beverly. Erin talks about the new businesses that are popping up in the area, the politics of the 19th Ward, what is most important to the residents of Beverly, the way the new residents mix with the older residents, the impact that Jerry Joyce had […]

The Daily Line‘s Heather Cherone and A.D. Quig are the absolute best in the business and they join Justin to break down the April 2nd Chicago runoff election including the mayoral race between Lori Lightfoot and Toni Preckwinkle and the 15 aldermanic runoff races including the hotly contested races in the 5th, 6th, 15th, 25th, 30th, 33rd, 40th and 47th Wards. This is the podcast for Extension 720. The show originates from Chicago on WGN Radio and features newsmakers, tastemakers and trailblazers.  Hosted […]

It’s the debut of a new segment on Extension 720 with Justin Kaufmann. Tonight, Chicago raconteur Scott Goldstein joins Justin for, “That Used to Be…” The idea is simple: We give you an address and you tell us what place used to be there. Remember the location of Biddy Mulligan’s? The Rainbow Roller Rink? Gabby Hartnett Recreation? It’s “That Used to Be…!” This is the podcast for Extension 720. The show originates from Chicago on WGN Radio and features newsmakers, […]

WGN‘s Kevin Powell joins Justin to preview the 2019 baseball season and the top stories we should be paying attention to on both sides of town. Kevin talks about the expectations facing both the Sox and Cubs. Will Yu Darvish bounce back? What can we expect from the Cubs bullpen? How will the dynamic Cubs lineup look entering the season? Is Joe Maddon really on the hot seat? How will Eloy Jimenez fit in? What will the Sox rotation look […]

“Off the Record” is a series of conversations with prominent Chicagoans in their communities. Tonight on Extension 720, Justin is joined by talk show host, poet and activist Mario Smith at the swanky Sophy Hotel in Hyde Park.  Mario talks about the amount of development going on in Hyde Park, how much the neighborhood has changed, how much more can be done, what issues are most important to the residents of Hyde Park, the legacy of Rahm Emanuel, the issues […]

It’s the “The Download on Chicago Business” sponsored by Signature Bank. Tonight, Justin speaks with serial entrepreneur Pete Kadens about why he decided to retire at the age of 40, when he realized that he was spending way too much time at work, why he doesn’t believe that a CEO can have a balanced life, the challenge of adjusting his life goals, the addictive nature of being an entrepreneur, the importance of “relationship wealth,” the secret to building a successful startup, […]

Steve Dolinksky, aka The Hungry Hound, joins Justin on Extension 720 to talk about the new pizza pop-up series he’s curating at Revival Food Hall. Steve talks about his passion for pizza, the passion that people in Chicago have for pizza, the “pizza I grew up eating” syndrome, the concept of bringing a “pop-up restaurant” to other areas of the city, the challenges of bringing a pop-up pizza series to the Loop, the status of Chicago as a “foodie” town, […]

“Off the Record” is a series of conversations with prominent Chicagoans in their  communities. Tonight on Extension 720, Justin is joined by Maggie Baran in the Northwest Side neighborhood of Jefferson Park at Weston’s Coffee and Tap. Maggie talks about how Jefferson Park has changed over the years, the amount of new small businesses that are coming into the neighborhood, if Jefferson Park is a microcosm of Chicago, what is drawing new people to Jefferson Park, the issues that are […]

Journalist, architecture critic and author Lee Bey joins Justin on Extension 720 to discuss why “development” has become the key buzzword as we head towards the upcoming mayoral election. Lee talks about why the term “development” is taking on a life of its own, the continuing controversy surrounding Lincoln Yards, if we are in a new phase of city planning, the future of Chicago’s skyline and what the next mayor needs to do for the development of the city of […]

Author Lydia Slaby joins Justin on Extenstion 720 to discuss her new book, “Wait, It Gets Worse: Love, Death, and my Transformation from Control Freak to Human Being.” Lydia talks about her early life, becoming a successful lawyer, when she first realized that she had a major health issue, eventually being diagnosed with cancer, how she dealt with no longer having control of her life, why the hospital became a refuge for her, the trauma involved in her treatment, if […]