Rabbit Hole Collectibles now open on Gravette Main Street

Westside Eagle Observer/SUSAN HOLLAND Rachel and Edward Wilson look over a few of the items in their vast selection of comic books at Rabbit Hole Collectibles, 107 Main Street S.E., in Gravette. Displays on the walls and shelves offer many toys and games. Books, movies, records and CDs are also available at the shop which opened August 1.
Westside Eagle Observer/SUSAN HOLLAND Rachel and Edward Wilson look over a few of the items in their vast selection of comic books at Rabbit Hole Collectibles, 107 Main Street S.E., in Gravette. Displays on the walls and shelves offer many toys and games. Books, movies, records and CDs are also available at the shop which opened August 1.

GRAVETTE -- A new shop opened Aug. 1 on Main Street in Gravette and it's a fun place to shop for kids of all ages.

Owners Edward and Rachel Wilson operate Rabbit Hole Collectibles and they've tried to ensure that everyone, whether young or just young at heart, will find something of interest. A ribbon cutting and open house were held at the store Wednesday, Aug. 8, with Mayor Kurt Maddox, city officials and Chamber of Commerce members in attendance.

Rabbit Hole Collectibles contains an extensive collection of games and toys. Shelves are filled with action figures, board games and video games. A large table displays thousands of Legos to sort through and there are many Matchbox cars and other die-cast cars for the kids. Readers will find numerous paperback books as well as hardcover bestsellers. The huge inventory of comic books is a highlight of the store.

Movie buffs may browse through many movies, both DVD and VHS format. They'll have a choice of classics, Academy Award winners or adventures for family movie nights, cartoons and comedies to entertain the kids and "chick flicks" for when the gals plan a girls' night in. Music lovers are not forgotten either. The vast collection of records and CDs offers choices for listeners of all ages.

Shoppers will find card games for kids and adults and, for the finishing touch, they can select soft drinks from the cooler, candy and chips from the selection of snacks on the front counter. Nothing is lacking to furnish all the elements for an entertaining family evening.

Wilson says the vast inventory housed at Rabbit Hole Collectibles began with his personal collections. He and Rachel met as teens when they worked together at a Steak and Shake in their home state of Ohio. She was homeschooled and he graduated from high school at Kettering, Ohio, a suburb of Dayton. They were married in 2005 and both continued to collect items that interested them. They worked at a variety of jobs and in 2014 began selling some of their collectibles at flea markets and online.

The last few years the couple has operated Need More Comics and Toys in Huber Heights, Ohio. The store name was chosen because it was located on Need More Road. They began selling only comics and toys and soon expanded to a variety of items. As customers would come in asking for certain items, Edward would order them. Other shoppers came in offering to sell their collectibles and he would purchase them and add them to the store shelves.

The Wilsons are parents of three children and, as their family grew, they began to long for a simpler, more settled life. They had about a 30-minute drive from their home to the store and wanted to eliminate the long commute. They began looking for a home in a smaller town and planned to continue selling merchandise online. When they found the Gravette property, they decided it was the ideal location. The family lives above the store and appreciates having their home and shop in the same building.

Edward, Rachel and their children moved to Gravette on the first of July. They are still settling in and getting acquainted with the area and its attractions. The youngsters are attending Gravette schools -- Luna in seventh grade, Elara in third grade and Castor in first grade. Luna has signed up to play volleyball for the middle school Lady Lions.

The Wilsons' business venture began as just a family hobby, something they could do together. Then they decided they wanted to share that with other families. The shop, school activities, and home life will keep them pretty busy but the couple does have another outside interest.

Rachel skated for six years in the Gem City Roller Derby League in Dayton. She enjoyed it so much she looked for an opportunity to skate in this area. She has signed up with the Northwest Arkansas Roller Derby League in Fayetteville, and Edward is the coach of her team. They practice in a skating rink in Fayetteville and played a game last weekend in Tulsa. They will travel to upcoming games in Little Rock and Fort Smith.

Store hours for Rabbit Hole Collectibles are Wednesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The shop is closed Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. The Wilsons invite everyone to come to visit them at 107 Main Street S.E. They can be reached by phone at 479-212-8268 or email [email protected]. To see their full inventory of new, in-package products, shop Amazon.com/shops/rabbitholecollectibles. For the full inventory of used and vintage collectibles, visit their eBay store, stores/ebay.com/rabbithole collectibles. Follow their Facebook page, @rabbitholeshop, to keep up with new additions to their inventory. The Wilsons say they will buy, sell or trade, so bring in any collectibles you'd like to pass along.

Community on 08/22/2018