Is Pop Up Chess Set Still in Business? (2026 Update)
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Look for Pop Up Chess Set on AmazonFull story →Paper engineer David Hawcock pitched a chess set built entirely from card and paper, one that folds down flat and pops every piece back into its exact spot when reopened.
He asked for £40,000 against a fifth of the company and left with backing from Peter Jones and Touker Suleyman, in what reporting describes as an enthusiastic reception.
A design-led pitch rather than a numbers-led one
Novelty gift items often sell brilliantly for one holiday season and quietly disappear the year after, so a product like this depends on whether retailers keep reordering rather than treating it as a one-season curiosity.
Peter Jones is reported to have called the design brilliant on air, and accounts of the episode describe an unusually competitive reaction among the panel.
The retail picture
Coverage describes a smaller travel edition being added alongside the original design, and says the product remains stocked through a mix of toy retailers and the creator's own site.
A paper engineering product like this one lives on repeat orders from gift and toy buyers, which is a harder test than a single strong Christmas.