Pop Culture & Sci-Fi Trading Outpost Cosmic Jo’s takes Norwich Collectibles to a new level.
When you step into Cosmic Jo’s Galactic Trading Outpost in Norwich, it’s like entering a world where the magic of your favourite sci-fi, fantasy, and animated stories comes to life.
But what you might not know is that the former basket shop of Hovell’s on the junction of Bedford Street and Bridewell Alley, has literally morphed into a modern, unique and immersive Collectible Store and Toy Shop complete with an American Themed Cosmic Cafe.
The Trading Outpost isn’t just a business; it’s a dream brought to life by Jonathan Storey and his husband, Bradley Brady.
Meet the Creators
Jonathan Storey or ‘Jo’ as he’s known to his loyal customers, is a retail expert with over 30 years of experience at The Walt Disney Company, working in Europe and the USA.
It’s common knowledge that Jonathan is a huge Disney fan, but he has an absolute passion for Star Wars, especially his favourite ever character Princess Leah and The Ewok’s.
Bradley Brady is a seasoned policy and communications leader, a published author of three fictional books and at one time owned his own music store.
He has a deep fascination for everything Doctor Who and is a huge Disney fan. You’ll usually find Brad developing and creating the fabulous Cosmic Cafe Menu items on the lower floor of the Trading Outpost.
Cosmic Jo’s is far from your normal shop. As soon as you step over the threshold, you’re in for an amazing surprise and an overload of nostalgia and excitement that will make the hairs stand up on your arms.
If I’m really honest, there’s nothing quite like it anywhere.
We were so intrigued about the background behind the shop and what makes this store so unique, that we sat down with Jonathan to find out a little bit more about the concept.
Q: Jonathan, thank you for speaking with us. Can you start by telling us about the origins of Cosmic Jo’s? How did the idea come about?
Jonathan: Gosh. I’m very happy to share our story. Cosmic Jo’s Galactic Trading Outpost really grew out of a passion that both Brad and I have had for as long as we can remember.
Growing up in Great Yarmouth in the 1980s, we were both deeply immersed in the pop culture of the time and as we traveled and visited different collectible stores, we often found that many didn’t quite live up to our imaginations.
Sci-fi, adventure, cartoons, TV shows and movies hold so many special memories for collectors of every conceivable age. It’s like being able to re-live your childhood, youth or the best years of your life all over again.
We dreamed of a place that was more than just a store—we wanted to build a one-of-a-kind environment that truly celebrated the stories and characters we love so much.
We decided to take the plunge and create something out of this world. And now we have Cosmic Jo’s.
It’s a space where collectors like us could find not only rare and vintage items but also be part of a community and an experience that felt magical and immersive from the items we sell, the food and drink we serve in The Cosmic Cafe.
From the moment our customers walk in the door, even the music soundtrack that plays are all themed around the items in store to give a sense of nostalgia and excitement.
To be extra special we knew the shop had to have a backstory and that’s when Cosmic Jo was born and began his own evolution into where we are today.
Q: The concept of Cosmic Jo’s goes beyond just selling collectibles. What inspired you to create an immersive environment and café alongside the store?
Jonathan: From my many years working with Walt Disney, I’m familiar with the evolution of retail over the last few decades. People are now looking for experiences, not just transactions.
High street retailers have been in decline for many years. High streets have traditionally been the heart of town centres, but as shopping habits have evolved, so too have the shops.
With the growth explosion of the toy collectible market in the UK. We knew there was a significant opportunity to create something special and keep the high street values alive.
But we also wanted to go beyond what was already out there. You’ll find some of the rarest, sought after collectible toys and memorabilia… anywhere!
Not just Norwich or the UK. We source the most incredible items from all over the world and some of these are literally unique or incredibly hard to find.
Brad and I have always been passionate about creating spaces that are welcoming and community-oriented. We envisioned Cosmic Jo’s as a place where people could come not just to shop, but to connect with others who share their love for pop culture.
The idea of adding a café was a natural extension of that vision. We wanted to offer a place where visitors could sit down, enjoy a coffee or a sweet treat, and soak up the atmosphere in a space where families, friends, and fellow collectors could come together and enjoy the experience.
Q: Can you tell us more about the character of Cosmic Jo and how it fits into the store’s narrative?
Jonathan: Absolutely! Cosmic Jo is a character that Brad and I created exclusively for the store and café.
He’s an alien from a far-off galaxy who shares our love for collecting toys and memorabilia.
In our story, Cosmic Jo teams up with a group of like-minded alien friends, and their adventures eventually lead them to Earth.
They’re fascinated by and decide to open a Galactic Trading Outpost to trade collectibles with Earthlings and learn more about our stories.
Cosmic Jo embodies the spirit of the store—he’s curious, passionate, and always on the lookout for the next great find. His story adds a layer of narrative to the shopping experience, making it more than just a store visit.
We want our customers to feel like they’re part of a larger adventure, exploring the cosmos of collectibles right alongside Cosmic Jo and his crew.
Q: What do you think sets Cosmic Jo’s apart from other Norwich collectibles or Norwich Toy Shops?
Jonathan: There are a few things that really make us stand out. First, while other stores tend to focus on newer, widely available collectibles, we specialise in vintage and retro items—things that you’d normally only find online or at auctions.
This gives our customers the chance to discover rare treasures that they might not find anywhere else. Of course , we sell lots of modern, newly released items.
However, we’re a true family store and our ethos is that there shouldn’t be any restrictions to who or when you start collecting. We have something for the most avid collector all the way through to items that are affordable even for the youngest of children wanting to spend their pocket money on something special to start off their collections.
Second, the immersive environment we’ve created is unlike anything else. We’ve put a lot of thought into every detail, from the store’s design to the themed café, to ensure that it’s not just a place to shop, but a place to experience.
It’s a space where you can relive your favourite memories, discover new ones, and connect with others who share your passions surrounded by memorabilia.
Finally, Brad and I are both committed to delivering a level of customer service that’s second to none. With my 30 years of experience at The Walt Disney Company and Brad’s background in policy and communications, we’ve learned a lot about what it takes to create a truly exceptional experience for our customers.
Every visitor to Cosmic Jo’s is treated as a VIP and not many businesses can claim this type of service. We pride ourselves on creating a welcoming, friendly atmosphere where everyone feels at home and leaves us having had a ‘Cosmic’ experience.
Q: What’s your vision for the future of Cosmic Jo’s?
Jonathan: We want Cosmic Jo’s to be the destination for anyone who loves pop culture, collecting, and great service. Our goal as a team, is to continue building on the strong community feel we’ve established and to keep expanding our offerings with an expertise that you won’t find anywhere else.
Our staff are hand picked for their personalities and knowledge. We all love talking about our Norwich Collectibles and the items we have for sale. Now Emily is a huge collector, she loves everything Anime, Tim Burton, Star Wars and Pins.
Pete (who coincidentally, is my brother, loves action, adventure and Star Wars. I think based on what I’ve just said, there is a huge communal love of ‘Star Wars’ here.
We’re always on the lookout for new and exciting ways to enhance the experience for our customers—whether that’s through special events, new displays in store, or even expanding our storylines with Cosmic Jo and his adventures. Jo’s backstory is a really special part of Cosmic Jo’s.
Ultimately, we want Cosmic Jo’s to be a place where people can come to ‘geek out’ with like-minded fans, celebrate their favorite stories, and create new memories. It’s more than just a store—it’s a community space, a destination, and a place where the magic of pop culture comes to life.
And a great place for friends to hang out over a grilled cheese sandwich and a coffee or a shake.
Q What type of Genres or franchises do you stock.
Jonathan: Gosh, where do I start. It would be easier to talk about the brands we don’t stock. But let me talk about a few. We have a huge Disney collection with items spanning back to the 1940’s. We have an incredible collection of Disney Pins, Very Rare Dolls and more characters than we can name. We have an enormous range of Star Wars collectables including some extremely desirable retired lego sets. We stock an incredible selection of Dr Who, Marvel, Simpsons, Pokemon Trading Cards, Smurfs, He Man, ET, Toy Story and even items from The Six Million Dollar Man through to Gremlins and Tron.
The great thing about Cosmic Jo’s is that we don’t just stock a few items. We’ve currated cabinets that are bursting with nostalgia and our stock changes so frequently, that you’ll see new, exciting items every time you walk in the shop.
That’s a big part of what makes us so unique.
Q: Any final thoughts for those considering a visit to Cosmic Jo’s?
Jonathan: Collectors love to travel to purchase their most sought after items and coming to our Norwich Collectibles shop means they can experience all senses.
They can physically handle the items, see the condition of the box. We think this is so important for collectors who want more than just a click and post shopping experience.
We live in a fast paced society where we order at night and parcels arrive the next morning. Collecting is a very patient hobby, because it’s the searching and waiting for those ‘must have’ rare collectibles that give the greatest pleasure.
Our community is growing very quickly and we’ve had so many amazing reactions. People literally travel to us from all over the country. It’s a warm, humbling feeling when we see collectors leaving with most amazing smiles on their faces. It makes our journey all the more special.
Q: Jonathan, it’s been an absolute pleasure speaking with you today. Before we finish, you mention ‘community’ so how do people get to join you?
Jonathan: We have a great social following and people love to interact with us. We’re on Instagram as cosmic_jos and Facebook as Cosmic Jos Galactic Trading Outpost.
Q: Thanks for your time today Jonathan.
Jonathan: It’s been amazing. Have a cosmic day.
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