Showplace | MarionMade

SHOWPLACE.

Gary and Mary Ann Ferriman started selling TV sets from the front porch of their Marion home in January 1981 under the name TV Outlet while working full time jobs. They moved the business into its first commercial location on Mound Street in 1982. A suggestion was made in 1983 to rent those TVs for $10/week, and their rent-to-own careers were born!

The business grew rapidly and, in 1986, moved to its current Bellefontaine Avenue location. TV Outlet grew to three locations by 1989, adding stores in Kenton and Edison (since moved to Mt. Gilead). TV Outlet was renamed Showplace in the early 1990’s–the new company name coming from an employee-wide contest.

Showplace continued to expand, reaching a peak of 25 locations, downsizing to improve quality over time, operating anywhere from 13-15 stores since. The newest location is in Tiffin, with another store slated to open in September in Upper Sandusky.

Showplace’s mission is to be a special place to shop, a special place to work, and to be the best rent-to-own store in town. This focus on employees, customers, and culture, is combined with a strong financial commitment to a number of local charities–including United Way, Goodwill, YMCA, Safety City, Boys and Girls Club, Kidney Dialysis and Cystic Fibrosis.

#MarionMade #WeAreShowplace

The Henry True Home
Sitting on the southwest corner of Church and State Streets for one hundred and seventy-two years is the Henry True Home. This lovely Gothic Revival style brick home with its steeply-pitched roof, decorative gable, pretty flower borders, and white picketed fence adds a sense of charm to the edge of Marion’s downtown. This is just […]Read More »
Dan Stull Leaves a Legacy
Dan Stull left a legacy of family, music, engineering and entrepreneurship. The 80-year-old life-long Marion resident died Dec. 31, 2023. Stull Family Roots The Stull family had been in Marion for generations, with a grocery story on South Main Street in the late 1800s. Dan’s father, LeRoy Daniel Stull, was a civil and electrical engineer. […]Read More »
Marion Mentors make a difference in Marion’s kids
One adult volunteer can make a huge impact on a student’s life. According to Mentor National, students linked with a mentor are more likely to attend school regularly, more likely to volunteer regularly, and are more likely to hold leadership positions. Marion Mentors works with many community groups to connect Marion County kids to adult […]Read More »
Marion Family YMCA
The local YMCA is much more than a workout facility. It is a hub for community partnerships which address the organization’s century-old goals of developing the potential of youth, helping one another improve well-being, and giving back to the community. The Marion Family YMCA has, since 1892, offered a wide variety of programs and services […]Read More »

Recent MarionMade! Stories

The Henry True Home

Dan Stull Leaves a Legacy

Marion Mentors make a difference in Marion’s kids

Marion Family YMCA

Share Your MarionMade! Story