The little Ohio newsstand that could: the Barkalow Brothers and Boise Depot

The Barkalow Brothers’ 60-Year Railroad Newsstand Empire

The Barkalow brothers built an empire on train stops and travel needs. Born in Ohio in the 1840s, Sidney and Derrick moved to Omaha as boys.

By 1865, they struck a deal with Union Pacific to sell papers, books, and candy on trains. Soon, they ran newsstands across the whole rail line.

When Boise Depot opened in 1925, they set up shop there too, hiring couples to work 16-hour days for $160 a month. For 37 years, they sold papers, cigars, and yes, even hemorrhoid cream to weary travelers.

Today, their original 1925 newsstand still stands in the Great Hall, waiting for history buffs to discover.

Two Brothers Left Ohio to Build a News Empire

Sidney and Derrick Barkalow grew up in Warren County, Ohio, where their family settled around 1804 after moving from New Jersey.

Born in the 1840s, the brothers lived in rural Ohio until 1856, when their parents moved the family to Omaha, Nebraska.

Sidney was just 12 years old when they relocated to what soon became a major railroad hub in the growing American West.

Young Entrepreneurs Scored Their First Big Railroad Deal

When Sidney turned 21, he spotted a chance to cash in on the booming railroad business. He joined forces with his brother Derrick to start a company in Omaha.

In 1865, they landed their first contract with Union Pacific Railroad, getting exclusive rights to sell newspapers, candy, books, and other items on trains and at stations.

This move put them in perfect position as workers built the transcontinental railroad.

Omaha Became Home Base for Their Growing Business

The brothers set up shop at 213 North 15th Street in Omaha. From there, they ran what grew into a newsstand empire covering most Union Pacific routes.

Their smart business plan involved hiring young couples to run each stand for $160 monthly. These couples kept the newsstands open sixteen hours daily, making sure travelers got what they needed.

The brothers stayed in Omaha but built a network across the western states.

Railroad Completion Opened New Territories for Business

The golden spike ceremony at Promontory, Utah on May 10, 1869, linked the Union Pacific and Central Pacific railroads, creating America’s first coast-to-coast rail line.

This connection gave the Barkalows access to new areas for their newsstand business. Passenger traffic started with about 2,000 travelers monthly in the 1870s but grew to 10,000 monthly by the 1880s.

As more Americans traveled west by train, the brothers grew their business.

Salt Lake Route Added More Stations to Their Collection

The brothers got bigger in 1923 when they took over newsstands on the Salt Lake Route from the Walsh News Company. Union Pacific now fully owned this route, letting the Barkalows grow their monopoly.

This smart purchase brought southern Nevada into their territory.

The brothers started ordering custom postcards from the Curt Teich Company showing depots along their routes, creating another money maker.

Boise’s Beautiful Depot Welcomed Its First Newsstand

April 1925 marked a big day for Boise when its stunning Spanish-style depot opened. Thousands of locals watched the first cross-country engine arrive, with the city hosting parades and speeches.

The Boise Depot, drawn up by New York architects Carrère and Hastings, Shreve and Lamb, earned praise as “the most beautiful structure of its kind in the West.”

The Barkalow Brothers quickly set up shop in this grand new building.

Travelers Found Everything They Needed at the Boise Stand

By 1948, the Boise Depot buzzed with activity as six passenger trains stopped daily, three from each direction. The Portland Rose topped the list as the most popular train, linking Chicago to Portland with a Boise stop.

The Barkalow Brothers newsstand sold newspapers, cigars, candy, and even items like hemorrhoidal cream for long trips.

Located at the east end of the Great Hall, their stand served thousands of passengers passing through Idaho.

Postcards Helped Spread the Word About Western Depots

The brothers branched into the postcard business, ordering custom series from the Curt Teich Company showing Union Pacific stations.

These cards carried the “American Art Colored” label and featured the round Barkalow Brothers logo. Popular depot postcards went through several design changes and stayed in stores for nearly 20 years.

This side business promoted Union Pacific stops while bringing in extra cash.

Cars and Planes Started Taking Railway Customers

The good times couldn’t last forever. As more Americans bought cars and airlines added flights, train travel dropped off.

Fewer travelers meant fewer sales at the newsstands.

The freedom of driving and the speed of flying made long train trips seem old-fashioned to many Americans. The Barkalow Brothers watched their profits shrink as smaller stations became too quiet to cover costs.

Sixty Years of News Service Came to an End

The Barkalow Brothers closed their Boise Depot newsstand in 1962 after nearly six decades of serving rail passengers. The decline continued when the Post Office stopped mail service on the Portland Rose in 1968.

The final Portland Rose passenger train left Boise Depot in 1971, ending the golden age of rail travel in Idaho.

This closed the book on the brothers’ remarkable 60-year partnership with Union Pacific across the American West.

Visitors Can Still See the Original Newsstand Today

The 1925 Barkalow Brothers Newsstand stands preserved at the east end of the Boise Depot’s Great Hall. Now part of the depot’s historical exhibits, it gives visitors a glimpse into rail travel’s heyday.

The Boise Depot got a $3. 4 million restoration in 1993, bringing it back to its original 1925 glory.

Today, people who visit the depot can check out the carefully restored newsstand and learn about the era when train travel connected communities across the American West.

Visiting Boise Depot, Idaho

The Boise Depot is closed for renovations through October 2025, but you can still walk around Platt Gardens while the building gets fixed.

When it reopens, you’ll learn about the Barkalow Brothers who ran newspaper stands across Union Pacific railroad routes for 60 years.

Their Boise newsstand sold papers, cigars, and travel supplies to train passengers from 1925 to 1962. Free tours happen Sundays and Mondays from 11am to 5pm.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

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