Magic supplies in Council Bluffs, Pottawattamie County, Iowa

Much of the paid work around Council Bluffs is strolling: a reception in a casino ballroom, a company party, a cocktail hour before a dinner. Strolling sets live or die on how fast you can reset between groups. Coins are ideal, because they are small, loud and visual. Our guide to coin magic for beginners walks through what to learn first, and the Transparent Coin — Half Dollar is one of the strongest single props for a group of four standing with drinks in hand. Browse the coin magic collection for the rest.

Casino audiences have seen card tricks; they have rarely had their own thought read back to them. That makes mentalism the stronger choice for adult rooms on the riverfront. Forcing dice and the Mental Die — Brass give you a prediction that lands without a deck in sight, and a PK ring adds small movements that look like nothing at all. Our piece on mentalism versus traditional magic explains which suits your manner. The mentalism collection lists current stock.

Go to Monday Night Magic. It is on the third Monday of the month, it costs nothing, and the learn-a-trick segment is aimed at exactly the person reading this. Watching six people perform the same effect badly and one perform it well teaches more than a month of video.

Buy one thing at a time after that. A deck that does the work, such as the Svengali deck, and a set of sponge balls will carry a beginner a long way. Our magic tips for beginners covers the habits worth forming early, and the beginner collection is a sensible shortlist.

We found no magic shop in Council Bluffs or elsewhere in Pottawattamie County that sells working props, and none across the river in Omaha we could confirm as trading today. Costume and party stores sell novelty tricks; they are not the same thing.

So most magicians on both banks buy online. Our listings are written for people who can't handle a prop first: what ships, what it does, whether instructions come with it, and how much practice it takes. The club meeting is the place to ask someone who owns one whether it is worth it.

Council Bluffs and Omaha share one entertainment market, joined by the I-480 and I-80 bridges and the Bob Kerrey pedestrian bridge. Performers here take bookings on either side without thinking about the state line. Lincoln is under an hour west. Up the river, Sioux City has its own I.B.M.-associated club and public shows. For the rest of the state, see magic in Iowa.

We post to every address in Council Bluffs and the rest of Pottawattamie County, Carter Lake included, on the same terms as anywhere in the United States. Most of our range ships from our supplier, so we don't promise a delivery date, and it is worth ordering well before a booked event. Unopened items can be returned within 30 days of delivery. See shipping and returns and refunds.