Life in the Overberg

This is the third and last post in a series about ‘unknown’ people in Napier who work in silence. They all have a few things in common: many of them are virtually unknown in their own village and they all make a living out of the ordinary.  This  post is about chess set maker Leon Visser in Napier.

Behind the facade of a coffee and gift shop in Napier something remarkable is happening. Leon Visser, assisted by his wife Adri, manufactures chess boards and pieces in six different varieties plus a miniature set. He started his business in 1998 and it has evolved into a well run little enterprise with export around the globe. And still it remains a typical ‘mama-papa’ business; well organized with outsourcing (packing, etc.) to other small local businesses. The chess pieces are made of pewter which he shapes himself into rubber moulds.