Kyle Marsh is the face behind the new and one-of-a-kind business, Pheonix Rest, as he looks forward to the future of his tabletop games café.
Located on Lord Street, Pheonix Rest opened only a month ago, but business owner Kyle has been wanting to open his own store for a long time.
Being no stranger to this industry, he used to run an e-commerce website selling merchandise for youtubers that create content in tabletop games. Kyle said:
“I’ve worked in this industry for a good few years now and I’ve seen both the good and the bad. I’ve always wanted to do this myself and it was just about finding that opportunity.”
When the building at 25 Lord Street came up, he knew it was an offer he couldn’t refuse and dived straight into the building. He added:
“I’ve always been in and out of Gainsborough, I know it really well as I only live in Retford. Gainsborough is a place that’s developing fast and it’s getting a lot of money pumped into the town; the cinema is a big example of that. I just knew I wanted to be a part of it and that this was the place for me.
“I want to make a feature on the map of Gainsborough that’s unique and something people want. I want to encourage to people that they don’t have to step outside of town, I’d love to try and help get the high street back to life.”
Kyle expressed his enthusiasm on creating a space where people can have an experience that’s friendly and laidback away from mobile phones and retail.
“We offer lots of free activities for people to be introduced into these hobbies like our try before you buy scheme. We want people to come in here, sit down, grab a drink and we will go through a game for free. It gives people an opportunity to understand it before putting money on the table.”
People can also bring in their own games, loan games, or just simply pop in to have a coffee and relax.
They also sell and host popular events for trading card games such as Pokemon, Magic the Gathering, Yu-Gi-Oh and Disney Lorcana.
Looking forward to the future, Kyle is interested in hosting Dungeons and Dragons events to reach out to a wider audience, get people talking and to enjoy themselves.
“You will spend £60 on an Xbox game and complete it in a week. The benefit of my business is that people are getting value in what they are playing with.
“For example, Warhammer is more of an investment. Once you get settled, you have a sense of completion and ownership. You can play so many different games and scenarios that will never expire. It’s so important for young children and adults to use their imagination. It’s pivotal we do things differently.”
Since opening, Kyle has found a lot of friendly faces popping in to meet him and to see what the business is. He stated that the beautiful element of tabletop games is that it’s for everyone.
“Age, gender or other factors doesn’t matter. From children to grown adults, people of different walks of life come here. We are a family orientated industry too and it’s so nice seeing parents coming in to recognise what we do and knowing their children will enjoy it.
“These businesses in small towns are so important and even better that it’s accessible. This is my sole passion. If I’ve got a roof over my head and people are happy, I’m happy. I want this to feel genuine and for it to be something for everyone. You can’t pay for time.”
To find out more, visit their Facebook, Pheonix Rest.