I heard a little while ago that David Copperfield was planning on making a "magic" restaurant where the waiters vanish and appear, and other cool stuff. Does anybody know if this is actually in the works?

Justin

If he does do this, bring your wallet. If it is similar to his live shows, a burger will cost $50.00!

This was in the works a number of years ago, but the idea was scrapped when money ran out. If new life has been put into this idea, I hope that it pans out.

Reminds me of that 'Planet Hollywood' restaurant chain project that Arnold, Stallone and some others started up. If I'm not mistaken it should be something similar to Hard Rock Café. Fiasko if I'm not mistaken, unfortunately.

But actually, I think a magic restaurant sounds like a much better business idea (assuming it's a good restaurant).

Actually, on a potentially related note, are there any well known "hatching" places for magicians? (Magic Castle is hardly one, I understand you have to be pretty established to perform there). A magic restaurant chain featuring promising talents sounds like a pretty good idea. I imagine it should get a lot of free publicity to get going.

I believe Copperfield's was suppose to open in Time's Square a few years ago. A magic themed restaurant just like Planet Hollywood. I think a few backers pulled out, and then the economy started heading south.

I don't know if a magic themed restaurant would pan out in the long run, but then again look at the WWE Restaurant in Time Square.

matias:

Thank you, I thought of Planet Hollywood as well. What a fiasco is right. In my days as a stock broker, I almost gave Planet Hollywood as a financial recommendation.

What a real turkey that would have been. I did not know anyone who got the stock, but I'm sure someone out there sunk a couple million into this dog and now they are stuck holding the piece of paper the stock cert was printed on.

I do feel the Restaurant Industry elevates high barriers to entry. Thus, huge piles of capital are needed to finance a "really" profitable establishment. It takes talent and surperb business acumen. Not many banks will finance these startup enterprises, thus SBA backs the paper.

Like I said, $75.00 steaks draw snooty crowds.

Actually, considering the market right now, no-one would notice. And 'real turkey' would actually taste better than my Ericsson stock. (Ericsson, one of the worlds absolute biggest and most successful IT companies, was 20% (!!!) of the total stock market here in Sweden! It was up on 230 (SEK) and is now down on 7. Imagine the party right now over here. Only magic can save them now)

Anyhow— restaurants: There does seem to be a big threshold, but still I keep seeing restaurants pop up all the time. Of course they also close down all the time. But still, if you can use economy-of-scale such as a chain probably could, and assuming you can make decent burgers, why the heck should it be so difficult? I mean, people eat, right? The question seems to be about having that little 'something'— and that is why I actually think magic is a great idea. It is the kind of thing made to attract people and make them feel good.

Compare it to any other "little something" that restaurants have. That one is "Indian" (so what— there are sooo many). The next one has a clown named Ronald. (Groan— can we adults please get entertainment.) There are probably some with live bands. (Grooooaaan and yawn! First of all you don't go to a restaurant if you want a real music experience, second of all you hear music every day.) The next one has pictures of rock idols and some old suits hanging. Main competitor? Well... I've been to that place some 3-4 times and it's just totally static! Boooring!

Really, live entertainment in the form of good magic sounds great, but...OK... I couuuld be a bit biased...

Maybe Magiczone could open a chain of Super Mall Kiosks, Magicians, Magicians For Hire and Magic-Themed Restaurants! It could all be packaged together and the restaurant could have a huge center-mall location, with a kiosk right out front, like those
"Rainforest" rip-off places where you actually have to walk through the gift shop to get to the restaurant! UGH!!! ARGH!!!

Hopefully, of course, this will never happen.

And the whole Copperfield magic restaurant, magicians performing in the restaurant thing barely got off the ground because no one thought it would work in D.C. and no one wanted to invest in it. I remember talking to some bar/nightclub/restaurant owners five years ago, and they were rolling their eyes at the whole "theme" restaurant trend THEN. Now, anyone who's approached with the idea would laugh. This isn't to criticize magic, just the idea of a magic-themed restaurant in D.C. Maybe in New York or L.A. or Chicago or Dallas or Seattle, but definitely not D.C. The city, for those who don't know, is a death bed for restaurants and notoriously unfriendly to small businesses in general. Don't start up a business in D.C.!

Heck, a nice location in the better suburbs, like Potomac, Rockville, Bethesda, Silver Spring, Olney or Chevy Chase, would be much better. There's your business plan: a suburban magic-themed restaurant, utilizing "name" magicians AND local magicians, with a club meeting room in the back, special shows on special nights, and hefty discounts for groups of 15 or more (civic groups, kids' parties), plus plenty of free parking. Now THAT could work. Quick, someone write up the plans.

A quick visit to Copperfield's website will show that the concept is down, but not out.

Grecian, you are right on target. Copperfield wanted $15.00 dollars for his autograph after I spent $500.00 for his show tickets. $50.00 two cups of coffee minimum, just to walk into the restaurant.
vinny

Vinny, come up north. You can see him for about $100.00 for a pair 20 row back in a theatre that seats 1,500. That's a lot better than when I saw him in Vegas.

A magic restaurant is not a bad idea. Scouting out a locale, setting prices and establishing prestige would all have to come BEFORE booking acts though. If DC really wants to do this, he has to take the time to research it or pay someone else to do it. And let's face it, does DC really have the time to invest into a restaurant?