Dragon's Den Shop Nears Opening: 'I Really Like That Location'

JOLIET, IL — Dragon's Den Shop, a new gaming and collectables store, plans to open this Friday, Dec. 17, in downtown Joliet, selling action figures including but not limited to GI Joe, Star Wars and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

Dragon's Den will carry trading cards from Pokemon, Yugioh and Magic The Gathering.

"We're happy to take a storefront that was previously vacant and have a cool new store move in," city of Joliet economic development director Derek Conley told Joliet Patch.

This marks the second Dragon's Den Shop in Illinois for business owners Andrew Lindskog and Albino Franco. Their first store is on Archer Avenue in Willow Springs.

The Willow Springs Dragon's Den has 32 Google Reviews, averaging a perfect score of 5 stars.

Lindskog told Joliet Patch he plans to keep the Joliet Dragon's Den open Tuesday through Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The new storefront for the Dragon's Den Shop is directly across the street from the old St. Mary's Carmelite Catholic Church in downtown Joliet.

The Dragon's Den address is 124 N. Ottawa St.

"I really like that location," Lindskog remarked Monday. "It's basically a toy store for action figures, trading cards and pop vinyl figures. We buy, sell and trade."

He said there's about 20 feet of store wall "filled to the brim with around 800" pop vinyl figures including Marvel Comics, DC Comics, Transformers, sports, horror movies and more.

Conley believes Dragon's Den will be another specialty store that will be successful in Joliet's downtown. Conley noted how the Audiophil's Records on Van Buren Street has now been open for three-and-a-half years.

"They already own another business," Conley said of the Dragon's Den owners. "They seem like they know how to run a successful business. They've attracted customers from away. I think this type of use is going to compliment the others that have opened in the downtown in the past year."

Downtown Joliet has added a significant number of new retail and specialty shops this year. Among them are:

Studio 88 Selfie Suites, located at 68 North Chicago St., is now the first selfie studio business to open in Joliet.

Joliet Kreamers, the area's first sneaker boutique, is owned and operated by Tyrell Hundley and John Pizano. The new retail storefront is at 173 North Chicago St.

The Juncture focuses on clothing apparel made during the 1980s and 1990s. Twin brothers Adam and Zach McDowell, along with James Cosentino, opened The Juncture on July 31.

The Artesano Store was opened in August by Leo Gonzalez at 103 North Ottawa St., Suite B. His store at 103 North Ottawa St., Suite B, sells handmade clothes imported from Mexico.

Downtown Joliet also welcomed the addition of The Nail Inn Academy at 160 N. Chicago St. For several years, Joliet resident Michele Birk has operated The Nail Inn and School of Cosmetology in downtown Lemont. Now, she has a second location, one closer to home in Joliet.