Oswego is gaining public traction year by year thanks to its small local businesses. Businesses like Village Grind and 113 Main are well-known for their place in Oswego. However, some companies are lesser known and often unspoken of.
“TGS Oswego is a very good way to meet others who share the same interest and passion in board games and collecting. However, when I visited the store that evening I noticed how there was no more than three or four customers which was unfortunate because the store had so much to offer for so many different types of people,” said OH senior Mark Horton.
Bigger chains like Gamestop trumps small businesses like Tabletop Game Shop Oswego. TGS Oswego is a small game shop located in downtown Oswego, they sell a variety of games ranging from Warhammer to Pokemon, as well as collectibles and pop culture items.
“The customer, what we do, everything here is fun. It’s gaming, its collectibles, its community-driven, meeting people, regulars, we have a space upstairs, we get people into a place just to play games, I love that,” said the owner of TGS Oswego, Frank Behm.
TGS has been in the business since 2017, first in Tinley Park and now in Oswego since 2021. They have always been a small business attracting locals and collectors from around the state.
“As someone who is generally into collecting nerdy things from time to time, I found that shop very entertaining to just walk around in ‘cause everywhere I looked, I saw something interesting that I enjoy. I would most definitely recommend going to that store if you like collecting or just are into pop culture,” said Horton.
Another great local business is Marcleys, a small minimart located in the central downtown Oswego area. They sell snacks, drinks, and even household items for last-minute runs to the store.
Marcleys is well-known for their happy birthday to locals every morning. Recently, they had new murals painted on the side of their building, which is gaining them interest and new customers.
“I noticed the murals a bit ago, and watched as they painted them up. After so many years where the downtown has just been the old buildings, it’s nice to see these changes [[…]] I think this is definitely an update it needed [[…]] I think it also adds to the business that the station will get. I mean the gas station is old it’s been there as long as I can remember and lowkey it’s boring. I tend to see people getting gas but never going inside, maybe this will help to improve business!” says senior Taylor Yackley.
Marcleys will always be known as our local minimart, and other businesses in Oswego will also continue being keystones of our community Small businesses like these will continue get recognized more, because you’re not just helping out a business but you’re also helping out a family.
I am a senior at OHS, I am currently involved in the Panther Credit Union, 42Fifty, and Youth and Government. You can contact me at 30881537@students.sd308.org.
This article is very informative and the cover image is spectacular, amazing work from Dr. Raygoza.