Maybe the book store is where you get supplies for an academic education, but DeKalb now has a new store equipping students for a partying education.

TJ’s, located at 1022 W. Lincoln Highway, opened Sept. 7 under new ownership.

Co-owner and NIU student Ryan O’Malley, a junior corporate communications major, compared the store to Spencer’s, selling similar items with the college student in mind.

As his first business venture, O’Malley said DeKalb was lacking this type of store and felt that he would be the one to provide it.

“I think the college campus really doesn’t have a place like this,” O’Malley said. “There’s no place to buy stupid stuff like drunk people crossing signs and everything like that and I thought it would be a good addition to a college town.”

Upon entering the small single-room store, one will find a new bareness to it that could only mean there is space waiting to be filled.

Since TJ’s opening, O’Malley said he has been pleased with business.

“Business has been good, it’s been really good,” he said. “We sold a lot of stuff so we’re going to be ordering some new stuff and we’re open to any suggestions.”

The store sells little trinket items such as shot glasses, lighters, ash trays, magnets, pins, hemp necklaces, and key chains. All around on shelves and racks are novelties that include black light posters, beer-pong equipment, lava lamps, tin signs, tuxedo T-shirts, and shirts with provocative messages.

The store is open every day of the week from 3 p.m. to midnight and is designed with posters on the ceiling, graffiti on the walls, and at the back of the store is a green message painted over a doorway that reads “18+ to Enter”.

As with any first business undertaking, O’Malley has his reservations about it.
“I’m just scared people will get sick of all this and then I’ll be left with all this stuff and no one to buy it,” he said.

Though still a student at NIU, O’Malley is determined to remain a private entrepreneur after he graduates and maybe build off the business he has started now.

“We’ll see what happens, hopefully good stuff,” said O’Malley.

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