The man behind the magic

Marvin Berglas’ magic kits are more popular than ever

by HOWARD CALVERT

Whether you’re young or old, magic still has the power to astound, even in these days of technologically advanced smartphones and video games. “When you see something live and close up that you can’t quite explain, the hairs on the back of your neck stand up,” magician Marvin Berglas tells the Connection on a Zoom call from his magic studio in Hertfordshire, England. “It’s something that people of all ages and nationalities embrace.”

Berglas is the man behind the Marvin’s Magic range of magic sets that you may have bought as a gift, or even used yourself. He starts our chat by asking me to choose a card from an invisible pack, and then I “throw” it back to him before he reveals what the card was. As interviews go, it’s a thrilling way to begin.

Magic moments

“I’ve been doing magic since I was 8 years old,” Berglas says. “My father is David Berglas, who’s now 96. He was the first magician to have his own TV series in the U.K. He’s like the Dumbledore of magic—respected by all the top names.”

One of the first tricks Berglas remembers seeing was pieces of paper being turned into money. He reports, “I was determined to learn how to do that. But I didn’t want to repeat what my dad was doing, as he had very unique methods.”

Berglas joined his passion for magic with his entrepreneurial mindset, and he began developing a small range of products by the age of 17. He says it was called “Marvin’s Professional Magic Made Easy. The aim was to simplify magic so anybody could do it, and people could concentrate on their personality in the presentation.”

At that point, only professional magic kits or cheap kits were available; Berglas realized there was a gap for high-quality kits aimed at hobbyists. “We started off with Magic Made Easy for youngsters, and progressed to Ultimate Magic and even Executive Magic,” he says.

Delighting a crowd of magic fans in New York City
COURTESY OF MARVIN’S MAGIC

“By learning magic, people can become the life and soul of the party, or in business they can use it for creating magical moments, or it can give you playground power at school,” Berglas notes. “It encourages social skills and builds confidence, because you’re having to talk to different people rather than just sitting behind a computer screen. It’s a lifelong skill that you take with you.”

Conjuring success

This October marks the 35th anniversary of Marvin’s Magic. In those 35 years, the company has won industry awards such as Outstanding Contribution to Magic and its products have spread to more than 60 countries. Could Berglas have foreseen the success his business would have? “As a magician, I should be a mind-reader and say yes,” he laughs. “But the reality is I could only have hoped for this. Our growth has been organic. We have a great team, and we’re always coming up with different and new ideas. But the thing I’m most proud of is that we’ve encouraged millions of young magicians around the world.”

An example of Marvin’s Magic innovation is the way the kits use a smartphone app to expand the range of available tricks. “We tip the hat to traditional methods with new and innovative ideas, and that’s a great combination,” Berglas says. “Each kit provides a great way of getting family and friends together, and there’s enough magic in there for each person to do their own various tricks as after-dinner magic or something special at Christmas.”

Howard Calvert is a writer and author based in Hampshire, England.

Benefits of magic

Marvin Berglas reveals how magic can change lives:

“The actual fun part of going out into the world with a trick in your pocket that could blow someone’s mind is really important.

“Our company has worked with mental health charities, and there have been examples where they use magic to help stimulate and encourage people, with really positive effects.

“I’ve seen some very shy kids come out of their shell and be the life and soul of the party. It can change lives.”—HC

COMPANY INFO

Name Marvin’s Magic
Founder Marvin Berglas
Employees 80
Headquarters Hertfordshire, U.K.
Items carried at Costco Marvin’s Ultimate 400 Magic Tricks & Illusions (Item 1582446) will be available in Costco warehouses and at Costco.com in October.
Quote about Costco “We’re big Costco fans here at our studios because there’s a store at Watford, which is nearby. We’re regular visitors, picking up all kinds of things.”—Marvin Berglas