My very first magic shop was on Main St. in Walt Disney World in the early 70s. We lived about an hour away when DW opened and all of our out of state company wanted to go to DW - so we took them. I probably visited that magic shop 15 times the first 2 or 3 years that it was open.

The first "real" magic shop was Bob Hutching's Magic Shack in Jacksonville, FL in 1980. He really knew how to demonstrate magic! He had grown up in a Vaudeville family and had performed in one way or another since he was 3 years old. He always carried a good selection of magic. He had a large portion of floorspace set aside to use for the local IBM ring meetings. He's been gone for some time now - but that area owes a lot to him for his influence in magic.

My first magic shop was probably the one at the Mall of America. (Replaced by a friggin bean bag chair store, of all things.) I've visited Eagle Magic once or twice, but not in a long time. My current shop of choice is Twin Cities Magic and Costume, Co. Great shop, very talented magicians!

P.S. Great thread!

N!J

Magic Etcetera in Fort Worth, Texas. Great place, and is combined with a killer costume shop. Once a year, adjoins to an awesome haunted house, called Hangmans. Met some awesome magicians there, back when I was clowning.

Thank you!

Definately Davenports in London... great memories, great times, great help.

The Queen of Hearts in Plano, TX

When I was a teen ('way too long ago!), I chanced into a magic shop at Magic Mountain in SoCal. In 2001, I happened to be in San Diego for an extended period of time and visited Brad Burt's shop a few times. I think I did get to meet Brad once, I talked to David Eldridge, and bought my favorite trick - the giant B'Wave there (I forget the name of the big guy who sold it to me).

I was sad to see it close, though I couldn't get over there hardly at all.

Ed

No bricks and mortar in my locale. Alakazam online..

Abracadabra Magic Shop in NJ. I dragged my mother there when I was like 7. It was out of his basement. Also went to Mecca Magic and a magic shop in Red Bank ran by The Amazing Randi I do believe.

That's going back a ways!


My first was the magic counter at Treasure Island in Chicago.


Cheers!

Ditto! A great little place, I remember going there when I was a kid and walking along what seemed to be a never ending front window full of magic tricks, books, puzzles, props etc...happy times!

I grew up in rural America, the middle of nowhere. So the first actual magic shop I went to was Precision Magic when I was on vacation in Gatlinburg, TN.

Foley's Magic Shop in downtown Seattle Washington. It was located in an old office building on the second or third floor. I would go down on saturday two or three times a month to spend my hard earned cash.

My first trip into a magic shop was Houdini's Magic Shops. First was at Buffalo Bill's in Primm, NV. Went in and couldn't afford to buy anything. Then came another one of those stores in The Venetian in Las Vegas, I think. Anyways, there I bought a juggling (ball) set.

First and only time (Sadly) I have ever been to a real magic shop was Hollywood Magic. THAT was awesome. The guy at the counter actually did tricks and knew about the products. Plus, he had on blue contact lenses, so I always wondered if he was hiding out from someone, like the mob or something. And it smelt old and mysterious. I loved it. It was ALMOST how my town's previous library smelt. I loved that smell.

THAT was the first time I ever bought ANY magic supplies. A close up matt, color chanking hankies, and some wands that were a bad choice. (I went a little crazy).

OH, and I bought some Spider-Man style gloves. Just incase I ever need them because you never know.

Well's Magic Shop in Macon, Georgia. It was being run at the time by the widow of Ed Wells. It always smelled strongly of incense and had a very mystical atmosphere. I believe they got all of my allowance on Saturdays.

The first "Magic Shop" that I ever visited was not a Magic Shop but was a Toy Shop at Knotts Berry Farm.
The first real Magic Shop was Merlin's Magic at Disneyland and the Main Street Magic Shop.

As an older teenager I spent (or hung around) many hours at the B&H School of Magic where I was also a student.

In my youth most of my purchases were mail order to Bentley's Trading Post and the Elbee Magic Company. I later worked for two years at the Elbee Magic Company as a demonstrator for Louis Berkie who also owned Fosters Fun Shop in a Mall.
Iven

Yep same here too. Now I go to Twin Cities Magic and Costume in St. Paul because it is closer to my home in Rosemount. I still love Eagle magic tho. Yep my opinion is the same as Nathans about Magic Max in Mall of America. It was there before I had an interest in magic and I would walk by and not give it a seccond thought. Now to this day every time I walk by that stupid bean bag store Corda-roy's I sigh deeply and wish I could have supported it when it still existed. I would have a lot more magic props now if it wasnt replaced.

that's going back ever FURTHER! LOL!

Dang, Jaz! I seem to be just a few steps behind you...don't stop short...lol!

First the Hot Dogs and now Kens and Mecca! Ken is gone and there are new owners. Did you know Scott Gordan? and from Mecca, Ted got me into the IBM!

What part of NJ are you in?

The first shop I bought magic at was a combination magic Shop/ Costume Store in Greenwich Village in Manhattan called Abracadabra. We looked them up to get a magic set for my niece. I ended up chatting up the sales guy. So we got to talking about card magic, seems we both had similar interests. I ended up getting Ammar's card Miracles Vol 1 - 3. My life has never been the same since. He told me about a place called " Tannens" I have to be honest I was a total ignoramus about magic shops at the time, when I asked " Where are they at?" I sensed he was asking himself." is she for real?" Anyway I started hanging out there from time to time. The magicians that hung out there were awesome, they were the first people I did Card magic for.. and they were polite to admire my performance, they even gave me pointers....