A DeKalb native and his business partners who conjured a passion for dark art and oddities opened their new business downtown this month.

Mr. Willy’s Dark Art and Oddities, 150 E. Lincoln Highway, a spot devoted to dark art and oddities, opened Oct. 18. Shoppers will find a mix of rare relics, collectibles, original artwork, and more.

For Willy Adkins, collecting oddities has long been a hobby.

“That’s something that’s been a lifelong thing for me is the fascination with magic and illusion,” Adkins said. “When I was a kid, I always kind of was interested in the macabre and anything unusual and weird.”

It’s something Adkins said goes back to his childhood growing up in DeKalb and Leland.

“I was always kind of into horror,” Adkins said. “I was a big Albert Hitchcock fan and always liked [HBO’s] ‘Tales from the Crypt.’ I used to stay up late at night when I was a kid, watching a lot of the horror films from earlier generations.”

Now, at 45, Adkins’ interests have turned into a money-making venture. But it took a while to find a good spot.

Adkins previously had an office out of the Wright Building on Fourth and Locust streets, where he made movies. When a new owner bought the building, Adkins started working at home.

He’s since learned he prefers a separate spot to work. His penchant for the macabre has come to life.

At Mr. Willy’s Dark Art and Oddities, visitors are greeted by an array of items that come primarily from Adkin’s personal collection. There’s uranium jewelry and Funko Pops, action figures and metaphysical supplies.

Adkins said he’s amassed a lot of items through buying from other like-minded people.

“I go looking for rare relics and fun finds from all over the place, whether that be a garage sale, flea markets, any kind of secondhand store, or from estate sale auctions,” he said.

While running a shop is new for Adkins, he’s excited to tackle the challenge with some help.

He’s partnered with Becky Lange and Shoobie Shirley.

Adkins traveled a lot while working in entertainment, produced shows and attended conventions.

He said he still does a lot of work in entertainment. He said the new shop is hoped to keep him closer to home more often. But he’s ready to hand that work off to someone else to focus on the business.

“It means having people come to me instead of me going out to people all the time and traveling all over with mileage on vehicles,” he said. “And [the] stress of travel can be quite exhausting. The older I get, the more I feel it.”

The oddities shop is open 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday and Wednesday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday.