Magic supplies in Waukesha, Waukesha County, Wisconsin

Waukesha County's barns, country clubs and lakeside venues host a large share of the Milwaukee area's weddings, and cocktail hour is the classic strolling-magic booking. Guests are standing, holding drinks, and meeting strangers. The magic should break the ice and finish fast: sponge balls, a chop cup routine, and a Vanishing Card Box with a signed card. Our guide to building a close-up set shows how to order them, and the close-up collection lists current stock.

The Pewaukee and Brookfield office parks along I-94 hold holiday parties, sales meetings and client dinners, and a short mentalism spot suits those professional adult rooms. The Mental Die — Brass and Forcing Dice give clean predictions, and a PK Ring — Silver adds a quiet moment of apparent telekinesis at the bar. Read mentalism versus traditional magic for how to frame it, and browse the mentalism collection.

Go and stand in a magic shop. Big Guy's in Pewaukee is ten minutes from downtown Waukesha, and seeing an effect demonstrated by someone who sells it every day will save you money. Ask there about local clubs and lectures; we could not confirm a club currently meeting in Waukesha itself.

Then keep the first kit short: one gimmicked deck, one object routine and a close-up mat. Our best magic tricks for beginners explains the reasoning, and the beginner collection follows it.

Waukesha has a choice most cities don't. Big Guy's Magic at 125 Oakton Avenue, Pewaukee, is a walk-in magic shop whose own site lists hours of 10:30 AM to 6 PM Monday to Saturday and 10:30 AM to 2 PM on Sunday; call before you drive in case they change.

Buying in person is best when you want to see an effect worked or need advice. Buying online makes sense for the staples: decks, coins, cups, silks and stage apparatus. Sleight's listings say what is in the box and how much practice it needs, and many Waukesha magicians will use both.

Waukesha is the western end of the Milwaukee metro: Brookfield and New Berlin sit between it and Milwaukee, half an hour east. Madison is an hour west on I-94, and Racine and Kenosha are within an hour to the south-east. Milwaukee's bars and theatres host most of the region's regular magic nights. See magic in Wisconsin.

Waukesha's banquet halls and the county expo grounds host fundraisers, awards dinners and association banquets where a short stage act follows the meal. For those rooms, use apparatus that reads over round tables: the Linking Rings — Stage Set of Six, a Dove Pan — Silver for a production, and the Appearing Cane — Metal as an opener. The stage magic collection has the rest.

We send orders to every address in Waukesha and across Waukesha County on the same terms as anywhere in the US. Most of the range ships from our supplier, so we don't quote a delivery date; if you need something for a wedding this weekend, the shop in Pewaukee is the faster route. Unopened items can come back within 30 days of delivery. See shipping and returns and refunds.