Kennett's newest gaming hub: 8th World Collectables opens doors to all ages

A new business aimed at gamers of all ages is open at Kennett.

8th World Collectables, a trading card store/game room, opened its doors at the Dunklin County seat last month.

Owner Allen Johnson, 31, a Portland, Ore., transplant, said he decided to open his store at Kennett after visiting and realizing the game room and collectibles shop he once patronized had shuttered.

"I have some family who are doing well here," he said of Kennett. "It's very expensive to live in Portland.

"When I visited here in 2013, there was a game store," he added. "But it closed. So as bummed out as I was, I thought it would be really nice to bring that back."

So, Johnson relocated and met with associates to determine if any interest existed in providing such an establishment.

"There was," Johnson said. "A couple of friends and I put our heads together, pooled our resources, energy, and know-how, and opened this store."

A soft opening in January prepared Johnson and company for 8th World Collectables' Grand Opening in March.

"We do game nights here," Johnson said. "And we do trading cards, selling and buying.

"We have an event coming up with Jason Paige," he added. "Jason was the original singer for the Pokemon theme song, and he'll be here on Saturday, March 8."

Paige is a voiceover actor and was lead singer for one iteration of the legendary band Blood Sweat & Tears, according to social media. Paige toured extensively with BS&T and laid the foundation for a promising career.

Paige's iconic performance as the rap soloist on Michael Jackson’s “Black or White” at the Madison Square Garden 30th Anniversary concert, broadcast live on CBS, solidified his status as a premier vocalist, according to social media.

"I emailed him," Johnson said. "I let him know we had opened the store here and wanted to get more eyes on the store, essentially.

"I used to do film production back in Portland," Johnson continued. "I had him on an email list and contacted him that way. He has done all manners of things. From the Pokemon theme song and old-school 90s cartoons to ad campaigns, like 'Eat Fresh' for Subway, he's shared the stage with Michael Jackson, and has quite an international following."

The March 8 event at 8th World includes a live concert, a Q&A segment, and opportunities for fans to collect Paige's autographs and merchandise, Johnson noted.

"We'll have tents set up outside all the way to the back of the shop," he said. "I think we'll have the concert outside, but for the most part signings and all that will be in-store."

Johnson said his interest lies in the Pokemon franchise.

"We do game nights here," Johnson said. "And we do trading cards, selling and buying.

"I grew up with it," Johnson said of Pokemon. "I played every game that ever came out.

"I've caught them all, essentially," he said with a laugh. "I want to get more people involved with that."

His partner, Joseph Crumpton, of Caruthersville, formerly of Kennett, is a Magic: The Gathering player whose interest lies there, Johnson said.

"It took us four months to get this place going," Johnson said. "We have a distributor through Games Workshop and Southern Hobby.

"We are designated a Wizards Play Network (WPM) Playstore," he added. "So, we can do sanctioned tournaments and all that. We have Friday night Magic games from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. and Saturdays are free-hobby days where we have stuff like Warhammer games and customizable models here for sale. Once you have the pieces made up, you put them on a game board like a field. And the game actually, is very intuitive."

Johnson said he's community-minded and so are his visions for his store.

"The event is very important for us to do," Johnson noted. "We believe in community.

"Kennett's been lacking a store like ours," he added. "It was important for us to do this, to give back to the community. Most things to do here are geared toward adults. We offer a nice environment for gameplay for people of all ages. And we're very happy to be here."

8th World Collectables is located at 108 Saint Francis St., just off the square at Kennett.

For more information, call Johnson at 573.347.0676 or see its social media sites.