[1] The back of their New York City store housed a workshop where the company was soon building magic illusions and props for virtually all the famous magicians of the day.
And, early on the Martinka magic shop became a hang-out and gathering spot where both famous and unknown, professional and amateur magicians alike could socialize, swap stories and share insights.
[5] The New York Times once described the shop while owned by the Flossos as "a messy Aladdin's cave of magical marvels from trick cards and ropes to a live lion that one owner, the magician Carter the Great, kept in the back room.
[4][6] Most recently, the firm was acquired by Ted Bogusta who pioneered the online magic auction with high end collectables that on many an occasion achieved record prices for certain items.
In 2004, after closing the Martinka brick-and-mortar shop in New York City, the company had only an online presence for a year before reopening a store in Midland Park, New Jersey.