While the thermometers may say otherwise, this has been one hot summer for Dowagiac — downtown Dowagiac, that is.

On Monday, Radiant Rogue Games, the newest addition to the historic business corridor opened its doors to customers for the first time. Welcoming the new game store to the community were several members of the Greater Dowagiac Chamber of Commerce, along with several other prominent community leaders, with a ribbon cutting ceremony.

The store, located in the former storefront of Oh My! antique store, was only open for a handful of minutes before its first set of interested customers walked through the doors to check out the shop’s assortment of fantasy, comic book and scientific themed board and card games.

Radiant Rogue Games is one of the handful of new businesses have popped up on Front Street these last several months — each offering a different shopping experience to residents and visitors of Dowagiac.

In May, the city added two businesses to its ranks: Electric Mist Vape Shop, located next to Farm Bureau Insurance, which sells vapor pens and accessories; and Makenzie Nicole’s, located on the lower level of the Masonic Lodge, which offers affordable clothing for young and teenage girls.

In June, computer repair shop Dowagiac IT3 moved from its location on Division Street to the former Shirley’s Flowers storefront, near the intersection of Front and Commercial streets.

These new and relocated stores will be joined by several other newcomers as well. Work continues on Bow Wow Bakery & Bath, a dog grooming and treat shop located next to Underwood Shoes. Across the street, local baker Jordan Anderson is working on opening up a storefront for his popular desert business, The Baker’s Rhapsody.

While the addition of any business to the Dowagiac community is an occasion to be celebrated, what is especially great about these businesses is the sheer diversity in services they offer customers.  With downtown already being a great place to shop, eat, bank, and have other important services performed, the variety offered in these new shops will only add to the appeal of one of the pillars of the city’s economy.

We wish the owners of these new establishment luck with their ventures, and we thank them for their hard work and dedication to make our city an even better place. We also want to thank the members of the Greater Dowagiac Chamber of Commerce and the Downtown Development Authority for the work they do in finding new businesses to improve downtown and the community.

 

Opinions expressed are those of the editorial board consisting of Publisher Michael Caldwell and editors Ambrosia Neldon, Craig Haupert, Ted Yoakum and Scott Novak.