Roscoe to revitalize Main Street with pop-up shops and nature area

ROSCOE, Ill. (WTVO) — The Village of Roscoe is upgrading its streets and encouraging the growth of local businesses.

An empty lot off of Roscoe’s Main Street will soon be home to the Hodges Run development, an incubator space for small businesses to start and grow.

The area will have 12 pop-ups designed for up-and-coming entrepreneurs to get a start on their businesses.

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Village Administrator Josef Kurlinkus said he is excited for the project and its ability to help local businesses.

“All the outsides will look pretty uniform and then the pop-up renters will be able to customize the interior however they want to,” Kurlinkis explained. “It’s just a way to increase our retail space and give a chance to people who maybe won’t take that next step in starting their own business.”

In addition to the pop-ups, Kurlinkus said the goal is to create a playscape and nature area, a multi-use path, a market area and public restrooms.

“Hopefully, once that takes off, they’ll be able to then eventually transition that into a brick-and-mortar space,” Kurlinkus said. “It’s just a way to develop retail in this area, in the village, and make things that people can come to and see.”

Village President Carol Gustafson said Roscoe is a great area and that she wants people to stop to visit instead of driving through it.

“It’s been energizing, it’s been exciting, and it’s been a great deal of work,” Gustafson said. “There are not enough shopping areas in the village of Roscoe, so we’re organically growing them.”

Kurlinkus said that students in trades classes at Hononegah High School helped create the first six pop-ups. He said not enough students signed up for the class next semester, so the village is responsible for creating the remaining six.

Kurlinkus said he appreciates the entire community coming together to help move the village in the right direction.

“I’ve been working with the Village for about 15 years or so, but it’s been great this last couple of years to really see sort of everything come together,” Kurlinkus said. “It’s been great to see everybody come together and the excitement we’ve heard and seen from people has been great.”

The village expects the final six pop-ups to be done this fall, with the first round of renters moving in Spring of 2026. Phase two of the project, including the nature area and multi-use path, will begin after that.