El Reloj Cigar Factory replica

When Drew Newman, fourth-generation owner of America’s oldest family-owned cigar company, approached GOKARTON, the goal was simple: bring the story of J.C. Newman’s iconic El Reloj cigar factory to the trade show floor in a way attendees could actually experience.

After visiting the historic factory and museum in Tampa’s Ybor City National Historic Landmark District, our team expanded the original concept into something much more ambitious: a quarter-scale replica of the El Reloj building complete with a recreation of the factory’s cigar museum interior. Inspired by the architecture, history, and craftsmanship of the space itself, the exhibit allowed visitors to step inside and experience both the exterior and interior of one of Tampa’s most recognizable landmarks.

From the detailed façade to the immersive walk-through museum environment, the project blended storytelling, scenic fabrication, and structural cardboard engineering into a larger-than-life tribute to American cigar history.

Click below to see the blog post on the J.C. Newman website.

The Cardboard DeLorean

at Pack Expo

GOKARTON was commissioned to create this fully custom cardboard DeLorean as the centerpiece of an immersive, sustainability driven exhibit experience for the launch of an industry wide residential recycling initiative.

Constructed entirely from corrugated cardboard and enhanced with high-resolution UV-printed graphics, the vehicle showcased how sustainable materials can be transformed into high-impact experiential environments without compromising craftsmanship, detail, or visual presence. From its instantly recognizable silhouette to its dimensional detailing, every component was carefully engineered and fabricated to deliver both structural integrity and visual impact on the show floor.

The Carnival Booth

For this project, we helped bring the Crypto Carnival to life with a fully custom 20’ x 20’ carnival-themed booth designed to turn heads from every direction on the show floor.

Built around an unconventional concept, the space blended vintage carnival aesthetics with internet culture and Web3 energy in a way that felt both immersive and unforgettable. The booth featured custom carnival game façades, illuminated marquee signs, and a custom-built platform engineered to support a 12’ Pepe the Frog inflatable towering above the exhibit. Safe to say… it was hard to miss.

A Farm-Inspired Exhibit

Designed for a 20’ x 30’ island exhibit space, this custom booth combined high-impact architecture with practical functionality, all built entirely from corrugated cardboard.

The standout feature of the space was a massive 17-foot-long gambrel roof structure, fully engineered and fabricated from cardboard to create the look and feel of a modern barn-inspired environment. Suspended above the booth, the dimensional roofline became an instant visual anchor on the show floor while showcasing the structural capabilities of sustainable materials at scale.

Beyond the dramatic overhead feature, the booth was designed with usability in mind, incorporating extensive hidden storage, integrated counters, and functional display areas to support both product showcasing and day-to-day exhibitor needs throughout the event.

Nostalgia at its best

Working from the client’s original creative direction, graphic concept, and exhibit experience, our team handled the structural design, engineering, and fabrication of this booth space. Designed to feel like stepping straight into the 90s, this immersive 70’ x 20’ island exhibit blended retro pop culture energy with custom-built experiential design to create a booth that instantly connected with attendees.

Using the custom structure and architectural framework we built, the client was able to fully bring their nostalgic 90’s vision to life, integrating immersive scenic details, interactive purchase experiences, and playful themed environments that captured the chaotic charm of the decade, feeling equal parts mall hangout, sitcom set, and video store adventure.

Designed to Reconfigure.

Built to Explore.

Inspired by Tampa’s vibrant energy, waterfront culture, and historic neighborhoods, this reconfigurable exhibit environment was designed to capture the spirit of one of Florida’s fastest-growing destinations through immersive architectural storytelling.

Originally created for a 40’ x 10’ footprint, the booth was engineered as a modular system that could easily separate into smaller independent activations for different events and exhibit layouts. This particular design has been used on 40 x 10', two 30 x 10', 20 x 10', and 10 x 10' spaces. The flexibility of the structure allowed the client to maximize long-term usability while maintaining a cohesive branded experience across multiple footprints.

Layered scenic backdrops highlighted the city’s colorful personality and evolving skyline, while several large-scale interactive features helped bring Tampa’s culture directly onto the show floor. Attendees could step aboard a 3D Gasparilla pirate ship photo op inspired by the city’s legendary waterfront pirate festival, explore a walk-in replica of an Ybor City bar celebrating Tampa’s historic entertainment district, or gather beneath a custom Riverwalk-inspired canopy structure that doubled as a functional meeting space.

The final environment blended hospitality, tourism, and experiential design into a booth system that felt immersive, flexible, and unmistakably Tampa.

A Celebration of Sustainable Design

Created for SXSW, the #PoweredByPaper Gallery was conceptualized by Mungo Creative Group as an open collaborative showcase celebrating innovation, creativity, and the unexpected possibilities of corrugated cardboard design.

Our contribution to the exhibit centered around the design and fabrication of a large natural kraft cardboard backdrop flanked by two custom crossbeams. To achieve the scale and clean aesthetic of the installation while staying true to the material, we developed a fully interlocking all-cardboard structural system that eliminates the need for traditional framing while demonstrating the strength and versatility of corrugated engineering.

The gallery space also included oversized communal work tables and stools fabricated entirely from cardboard, creating an environment where featured designers and makers could showcase products, prototypes, and ideas throughout the event.

Among the standout pieces displayed within the gallery were the iconic Cardboard Guitar Stratocaster Fender developed by Ernest Packaging Solutions and the Obilab cardboard drum kit, helping transform the exhibit into a hands-on celebration of sustainable design, music, and material innovation.

Minimal, functional, and intentionally raw in appearance, the natural kraft environment highlighted the beauty of cardboard in its purest form while giving center stage to the creativity of the featured collaborators.

How do you bring a shipping container booth to your expo?

With cardboard.

Designed to replicate the industrial look and feel of a real shipping container, this custom exhibit structure delivered the visual impact of a full-sized container build without the shipping costs, heavy machinery, or logistical headaches that usually come with one.

Built entirely from corrugated cardboard and acrylic window fittings, the structure recreated the recognizable corrugated metal texture and architectural form of a traditional cargo container while concealing a fully functional interior meeting space complete with couches, lounge seating, and coffee tables. The result was an inviting, modern environment that balanced rugged aesthetics with comfortable hospitality on the show floor.

Unlike a traditional steel container installation, the lightweight modular design is flat-packed, shipped efficiently, and reassembled from show to show, making it a practical reusable solution for brands looking for high-impact architecture without the operational burden.

One Template, Two Footprints

Great exhibit design isn’t just about appearance, it’s about flexibility. These two projects were built from the same modular booth template, designed around a highly adaptable system consisting of one back wall and two side walls.

The versatility of the structure allows it to easily transform between inline and island booth configurations depending on the show footprint, giving our clients the ability to scale their presence without starting from scratch each time.

Like all of our modular cardboard exhibits, the template was engineered for efficient flat-pack shipping, quick assembly, and repeat-use throughout a full event schedule. Lightweight, customizable, and fully recyclable, the system proves that sustainable exhibit solutions can also be practical, scalable, and visually impactful.

Lighting solutions are included and in most cases it is customized to be plug and play. Whenever required, our walls can be configured to support up to a 55" TV monitor.