From furniture to jewelry, new downtown Oswego thrift store sells variety of merchandise

Oswego resident Denise Weszelits knows it is harder to find a bargain these days because of sky-high prices.

Weszelits is trying to ease the burden on people’s pocketbooks. In December, she opened Mixed Market Thrift store at 8 W. Washington St. in downtown Oswego.

“The need is there,” she said. “I can’t tell you how many people have come up to me and thanked me for opening the store.”

The store already has gained a following in the few months it has been open.

“We have what you call groupies and followers at the shop,” Weszelits said. “It’s kind of an added bonus. I never really expected that when we opened.”

Weszelits, a registered nurse, has enjoyed the relationships she has been able to build with her customers. She has been a resident of Oswego since 2001 after previously living in Chicago.

“We’re not all antiques. We’re not all furniture. We’re not all of any one thing. We’re basically like a mini estate sale in a store.”

—  Mixed Market Thrift store owner Denise Weszelits

Items Weszelits doesn’t sell are donated to the nonprofit group Rover Rescue. Weszelits fosters dogs through Rover Rescue.

The nonprofit group is marking its 20th anniversary this year. The organization’s next fundraising barn sale will be from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. June 23-25 in the big red barn at 5401 Route 71 in Oswego. All money raised from these sales will go toward veterinarian bills for the dogs/puppies in Rover Rescue’s foster homes waiting for adoption.

As the name Mixed Market Thrift implies, the store sells a variety of items.

“It’s not any one particular item,” Weszelits said. “We’re not all antiques. We’re not all furniture. We’re not all of any one thing. We’re basically like a mini estate sale in a store.”

Everything in the store has been donated.

“Our customers are giving us stuff because they would rather bring it to me and help a local business,” she said. “Family and friends also give me stuff.”

She also has acquired items from estate sales. Her customers come from all over the area, including Somonauk, Sheridan and Bolingbrook.

Big Life Community Church in downtown Oswego recently opened a thrift store. But Weszelits is not worried about the competition. “It can actually help us, because thrifters like to go to different stores. They’re not just going to one store.”

Information about Mixed Market Thrift store is available on its website, mixedmarketthrift.com, or at its Facebook page.