The Short & Sweet History of Casey’s & Mike’s Markets

Our founding father and the patriarch of Mike’s & Casey’s Markets, Mike Casey, began the business in April of 1969 in Villa Park. This started as a partnership between Mike Casey, and his brother-in-law, Mike Kelly. The original corporate name was Mikes’ Meat Market, which was plural and not singular to reflect the two Mike’s ownership.

After a short-term partnership of approximately 18 months, Mike Kelly left to open up his own store, Kelly’s Market in Park Ridge. This was a no-brainer for Mike Kelly with his store being much closer to home. This left Mike Casey as the sole proprietor, and with a staff of four, including his son Dan, who decided to follow in his father’s footsteps in the business. In 1974, at the tender age of 13, son David began working in the family trade as well.

In the fall of 1980, there was an opportunity to take over a bankrupt butcher shop in Western Springs, Brinker’s. At this time, Dan became a partner, and David also decided to make a career out of the business, as well. Dan helped establish the new store with a great deal of support from Katie Jones, who had worked for the previous owner, and also the owners of the Western Springs Fruit Store, Bob Yurchak and Al Enzbiglis.

In 1990, The Casey family took on another bankrupt independent business, Colony Foods of Naperville, with David now joining up as a partner. David proceeded to run the Western Springs location, with Dan running the new entity, Casey’s Colony Foods. Shortly thereafter, Mike decided to retire and sell his controlling interest to David and Dan, who remained partners until January 1st of 2005.

David became the proud of owner of both Casey’s Market of Western Springs, and Mike’s Market of Villa Park, and could not have done so without the assistance of Joe Lane, (a third-generation family member, who became an owner/General Manager) the aforementioned Katie Jones, and Brian Lynch who has managed Mike’s Market 20 + years. We still pride ourselves on being a family-owned operation, and in recent years, we have seen several of our valued employees retire after years of dedicated customer service.

We like to practice what Mike Casey used to preach: “Take good care of your customers, because if you do not, somebody else will.”