In September my childhood best friend Greg visited me at Oswald’s. He was in town from Boston with his husband to attend a family member’s wedding. We spent a lot of time in Downtown Naperville when we were kids, especially at the pharmacy. It was fun to show him around and look at what was new, and what had been at Ozzie’s since we were kids (Beanie Babies!). Greg ended up purchasing an exclusive Oswald’s t-shirt that reads ‘Naperville: Where my Story Begins’ to send to a friend that also grew up in town.
I started building a tree fort for my kids the weekend after Greg’s visit. Building this treehouse will take me well into October to complete. I’ve had help from my old man (Bill, Oswald’s 5th generation owner) and father-in-law (visiting from Indiana). The husband of another childhood friend of mine also lent a hand. Everything’s coming up nostalgia these days!
My kids and me in the new tree fort!
Growing Up in Naperville
I grew up in the Historic District of Naperville. We lived just a few blocks away from where Oswald’s used to be (39 W. Jefferson, kitty-corner from the Starbucks Reserve). The pharmacy was a big part of my childhood which, of course, included my friends. When I was in elementary school, my friends and I would help with inventory in the winter in exchange for Beanie Babies. In junior high, we would spend summers downtown and load up on sugary treats from the pharmacy. Some of my favorites were Sixlets, Mallo Cups, Warheads, and Baby Ruths. By the early 2000s, my friends and I were working the registers at the pharmacy.
Fast-forward to today raising my own kids; it’s exciting to imagine the fun they’ll have growing up at the pharmacy! These days, my ‘fun’ has changed from eating candy and working for toys to being the one purchasing these items for the pharmacy. With the recent retirement of our candy buyer, I’ve taken over candy buying with the help of my Dad and our manager, Chris. We’re still ordering from the same company (Eby Brown) that we ordered from when my dad was a kid in the 60s!
Specialty Candy & Seasonal Treats
We also work with specialty candy companies like Nassau Candy for a lot of the ‘vintage’ treats. These specialty treats include Regal Crown, Necco Wafers, Bun bars, and No Whey (allergy-friendly treats). Buying and merchandising the candy is definitely more work than just eating it as a child was, but seeing kids joyfully shop for candy on the weekends makes it all worth it. This is especially true when I have to bring home a new snack from Ozzie’s for my kids to ‘test’.
With Halloween around the corner, I put out a display of No Whey allergy-friendly Halloween Candies. With 1-in-12 kids now having 1 or more food allergies (including my daughter, Tillie) we’re slowly expanding our offerings of allergy-friendly treats along with the classics and everyday favorites. For those without a sweet tooth, our Gift & Toy buyer Kathy has been working hard on displaying our wonderful new selection of autumn gift items. Stop by our gift department and see what’s new!
Goodbye Summer 2021
Lastly, at the end of this month on October 30th, stop by Oswald’s and our neighbor Casey’s for some sweet treats, a digital outdoor photo booth, and a chance to win 1 of 4 Oswald’s and Casey’s giveaways. While you’re there, make sure to stroll the aisles of Oswald’s with your kids (or your inner kid-at-heart!) and take it all in. At 146 years old, Ozzie’s is still a pretty magical place for kids.
