Suffolk Business Catches Pokemon Phenomenon

New Suffolk Business Catches Pokémon Phenomenon
which fits with Ed Sheeran’s latest release

trading card and collectables business aims big as Pokémon enjoys another boost

Stonham Barns Park – one of Suffolk’s premier leisure, retail and holiday destinations – is the location for a new business that is riding on the wave of a new Pokémon revival brought on by Ed Sheeran’s newly released single Celestial (30 September).

The new mid-Suffolk business – GG Trading Cards and Collectables – is the creation of 22-year-old gamer and collector Kieran Singleton who has been a fan of Pokémon since he was a child. Ed Sheeran’s new single is a collaboration with Pokémon which sees him featured in an animated music video created by the studio behind the popular games series. Sheeran also played the game when he was young and continues to be obsessed with the Japanese-created Pokémon series which is an abbreviation of ‘Pocket Monsters’.

Pokémon is just one of the collectables stocked by the new shop at Stonham Barns Park. It also features Lego, Funko, Star Wars, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Harry Potter and other games and gaming memorabilia. Pokémon – launched in 1996 – and backed by Pokémon Go, video games, cards, collectables and a TV series – is the phenomenon that shows no sign of going away. Popular characters include Charizard, Gengar, Fire, Bulbasaur and – of course – Pikachu!

Says Kieran, ‘The culture behind Pokémon Go is well known, we have all seen fans walking the streets, searching for and catching Pokémon. And you can also play in the comfort of your own home.’

‘The fact that Ed Sheeran has featured Pokémon in his latest release means anything could happen – worldwide – with the cards and collectables. We stock cards that sell from anywhere between 30 pence to £850 and, globally, a card that was wanted by an extreme collector once sold for £6m!’

‘GG Trading Cards and Collectables was a hobby that snowballed into a business. I have a business partner – another collector – who was willing to open a shop with me and so I thought why not? We have customers as young as three and four years old and some who are in their 50s and 60s. It appeals to so many people.’

The shop stocks cards and collectables of all types to appeal to a wide variety of collectors. Star Wars is one of the most popular series that they sell.

Kieran sources many of his products from gaming exhibitions and shows. He continues, ‘The quirkier the products the better. From a Poké Ball used for catching and storing Pokémon to Harry Potter’s Professor Snape figurine and the mainstay of the business, Pokémon trading cards. The kids from the past become the collectors of the future. It’s a thing that stays with you through life. Like Ed Sheeran says, you don’t grow out of some of the stuff that you grew up with. It helps to have something that interests you and it can become compulsive.’

‘I worked in a toy shop as one of my first jobs and got hooked. One day I’d love to have multiple shops in different locations that could supply more customers around the country. I need to set up a website to support the business but now I am selling by a 50/50 split between social media and the shop at Stonham Barns Park.’

‘I’ve always liked Ed Sheeran’s songs, especially Lego House as that’s quite fitting for the shop!’ The new release is awesome too. I would love to meet him one day as we could talk about Pokémon. My favourite is Ditto while his is Squirtle. We’d have something in common!’

Kieran’s girlfriend, Terri Greaves, also works in the shop. She says, ‘Kieran is such a collectables enthusiast. If anyone can grow this business, he can. He has spent so much time sourcing the products that he’s an expert on most of the collections. It is a pastime that never grows old. Children and adults, alike, get so animated about the characters they can collect. It’s a real conversation starter. Who doesn’t want to talk about the fantasy and escapism of our childhoods? It’s something to cheer people up when they need it.’

The couple – who open the shop 6 days a week – live in Harwich.

Stonham Barns Park been serving the community of Suffolk since it opened and it is now becoming a more prominent part of Suffolk tourism which is growing exponentially year on year. Stonham Barns Park itself welcomes many visitors from all over the UK – particularly from London, the South-East and from as far away as The North and Scotland.

Recent additions to the venue include Café 24 and the recently opened Legends Sports Bar – a bar developed in honour of a variety of sporting legends – for the use of the community and those visiting for holidays and short breaks.