For students who cannot afford to study abroad, Pullman’s newest business serves as a gateway to the rest of the world.

4krazykatz, located at 130 S. Grand St., caters to collectors of foreign or domestic movies, T-shirts, posters and comic books.

The store is home to rare products, such as Batman comic books from Hong Kong, Japanese Manga and Korean Manwah – and kitsch such as coffee mugs from the hit TV show “Lost.” It was co-owner Scott Grove’s lifelong passion for comic books and foreign films that sparked the idea to create the store with his wife, Allison.

“When I came to Pullman, I was hoping to find a comic book store and they didn’t have one,” Scott Grove said. “So I thought it would be a favor to the community to build one here.” Most of the more than 1,200 foreign movies in the store, which range from science fiction and horror to drama and action, are from Grove’s private collection. For seven years, he worked with numerous foreign distributors from Hong Kong, Thailand, South Korea, China, Germany, England and France to establish a more diverse line of products.

The Groves thought that since they already owned so many products from around the world, they had an opportunity to open a unique store.

“I’ve been all over the world and never seen a store like this,” Grove said. “We wanted to do something new and create kind of a hybrid store.” Even the name, 4krazykatz, is different.

“It has a double meaning,” Grove said. “Not only do we have four cats at home, but if you spell it out it is, ‘for crazy cats.’ Back in the ’50s, a ‘crazy cat’ meant someone cool, so we have that in the name too.” Senior international business major Insung Park, of Korea, said there is a market for international products in Pullman.

“I like watching Korean movies and Japanese comics, so it sounds like a place I’d go,” Park said. “There definitely is a demand for [that kind of store] here.” The Groves have been a part of the community for a long time. Allison Grove received her business administration degree from WSU, and Scott Grove earned a film studies minor and is working on his English major.

“Our strengths work well together here,” Scott Grove said. “She takes care of the business part and I take care of the movies and literature.” Grove hopes business will continue to succeed, and that by the end of their first year in town, he and his wife will be able to open a larger store in Pullman.