While I am glad to hear that Tom is running a good shop in Seattle, and near Pioneer Square... I still miss Hades.

I would spend many hours during my college years in that shop, learning much from Michael Starr.

Just seeing that this was a topic for a forum got me thinking about the good old days, and when you first got into the world of magic. Not the bug, but when you first were taken under someones wing, and treated like you should know some of this wonder.

John

I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Hades just a few weeks before he closed his shop in Seattle. I believe he was moving back to Canada. He was a very kind and Knowledgeable Magician. I wish I would have known about him and his shop earlier, I could have benefited alot.
Iven

Hades in Seattle was my Mecca from the mid-seventies until Mickey closed the shop.
Growing up in eastern Washington meant a 5 hour drive to Seattle. But every-time my family made the trek they would indulge me with a side trip to Mickey Hades. It was even more fun to go to before he was in Pioneer Square. When I first discovered his shop he was on the 5th floor above Shorey's used books store on 1st and Pine. You took an unmarked elevator to the top floor then went down a hallway to small out of the way office space.
my list of purchases there included:
Bobo's Coin Magic (big beautiful hardback)
Square Circle
11 ring linking ring set and the Fitzkee book
Paul Diamond Reel
each purchased on a seperate trip - and all still in my collection today!
I still remember the joy of finding "A Letter From Hades" in the mailbox and carefully studying it to decide what I NEEDED next!

Who runs the shop at the underground mall at Pike's?

I went there years ago.

The shop is owned by a woman but I can't remember her name at the moment. William is the guy that runs the shop. William is a member of Ring 339 in Lynnwood, Washington and is a part time actor.

The shop is very small and a bit cluttered and really has the "feel" of an old-time magic shop. They really cater to tourists but have plenty to offer the serious minded.
Don't forget to visit Seattle Magic at pioneer square. Owned and operated by Tom Franks.

The Pike's Place Magic Shop is owned by Sheila Lyon and is the oldest Magic shop in seattle and is a good place to check out. If you want a shop that really caters to Magician's, you really need to check out Seattle Magic at Pioneer Square.

Tom Frank is the owner and besides conducting the monthly meetings of I.B.M. Ring #52 in the "Backroom" many days and nights "Jam" sessions in the Backroom go on to the wee hours of the morning (by invite only).

If you enjoy the Cups & Balls, Seattle Magic has the largest private collection I have ever seen. Do yourself a favor and check it out.
Iven

Seattle Magic kicks off it's "Back Room Lecture Series" with Nathan Kranzo!!
Limited Seating - Sunday February 22, 2004 2:00PM in the Back Room for only $20
Seattle Magic - 106 1st Avenue South • Seattle • Wa • 98104 • 206 622-2757

I remember being at the opening of Micky Hades' Seattle shop in (I believe) 1977. Stephen Minch was the manager at the time. I rememebr the elevator ride up to the 5th floor of Shoreys Books to get to the space. Steve wrote a great store newsletter for years, which I am sure generated much business; "A Letter From Hades," filled with great reviews and observations.

But to me, the greatest Seattle magic shop was SYD BROCKMAN'S on First and Seneca. It closed in 1974 and while I never made it to Flosso's in NYC, Syd's place had to be a close second for the clutter and treasures you could find inside. Syd was one of the greats.I got many wonderful items - and advice - from Syd.

I remember spending a lot of time at Mickey Hades shop when he had one here in Vancouver.

Seattle magic brings back memories, I used to go to Hades and Syd Brockmans with my father when I was young. My father was good friends with Syd many, many, years ago. Can anyone remember Thorsons costume in Tacoma wa. I would ride my bike their and hang out all day. Hades was a great place also

I also remember the Seattle scene in the early to late 70's. My folks hired Syd Brockman to perform at the Steilacoom Town Hall. For my birthday I called Syd at his home to talk about some magic tricks I wanted to purchase. I was twelve at the time and had only seen some novelty catalogs so my choices were limited. He said I was too young for the Cigarette pull. He then invited me to his home to have a look at some of the tricks he had for sale. That invitation started a 10 year relationship. My father and my best friend, who also had the magic bug, would drive from Steilacoom to Syd's house about once a month and Syd would allow us to roam his basement where he stored all of what remained of his magic shop since it had closed. I remember my first purchase was an old steel german appearing cane that Syd had used for his performances. I remember asking how much and Syd said "I bought it for 40 dollars, you can have it for 5". Best purchase I ever made. Still have it to this day (thirty years later) and it still works great. Those weekends still are remembered fondly. Syd was always great and his wife was always yelling at him "Syd, why did more magic come in the mail today?". Some of my best purchases from Syd were Ultissimo, Copentro (50 bucks even back then, I used all the money I made form doing kids birthday parties), and a dancing cane which he personally taught me how to use.
He used to tell me great stories about his shop and how much he missed it once he closed it down.

It's a shame that Syd's shop was closed, but the building was condemned by the city because it didn't meet earthquake code (old 1890's brick building.) Syd was originally a leather worker and harness maker who had a shoe repair shop in the same building before opening the magic store when he bought the remainder of Dick Swanson's (Swanson Sorcery) and Jean Foley's (Foley's Magic Shop) stock in the 1950's. Syd had also toured in USO during WWII with a harmonica act!
Although Syd's building was torn down in 1974, the site is still a vacant lot that is now a park. (1st and Seneca - downtown Seattle.)

Hades was a great place for books.

Hades Publications:

http://www.trickster.com/

P.O. Box 1414 Station M, Calgary Alberta CANADA T2P 2L6
Phone 403-254-0160 Fax: 403-254-0456

Has this shop any connections with Hades Magic shop?

The e-mail address is for Brian Hades (may be his Son or Brother?).
Since it is in Canada, I would think it does have a connection with Micky <sp> Hades but I don't have a clue.
Iven

Brian Hades is Micky's son.

It's great reading all these memories of Seattle magic shops, especially Hades. I did not get interested in magic until after Syd Brockman's closed but I do remember being in the back seat of my parents' car when we visited Seattle once and seeing it on First Avenue. I live in Tacoma and the first magic shop I started patronizing was Mr. Mystic's Magic Corner next door to the Narrows Theater near the Narrows Bridge. It was run by a nice fellow named (I think) Mike Knighton. Does anyone know whatever became of him? I think he was from Salem, Oregon. The Tacoma shop was there in the early eighty's and I soon discovered Micky Hades' shop in Seattle. What a delight it was to enter that building on First and Union, walk through Shorey's Books (what a great bookstore!) and then take the elevator up a couple floors, walk past a few old doors with frosted glass and brass doorknobs, and arrived at the door that said "Micky Hades International - Books and Supplies for Magicians". You'd open the door, walk in and you were in the middle of a great looking magic shop. Mind you - a magic shop. Not a novelty shop or joke store but a place for serious magicians. I like the fact that it was not on ground level - the only people who ever went there were magicians. And behind the counter running everything was Steve Minch. I'm telling you if you had any question about magic books he knew the answer. Once I described a card trick to him that I was interested in and without hesitation he told me the title, author and - so help me - page number where I would find it. I can remember times when I would go there, chat a bit about magic books, buy some classic text, and when I would take the elevator down to street level and walk out the door I would have this feeling that I was part of some wonderful secret thing that all the other people walking around downtown Seattle were not part of. Call me wierd but it was a very pleasant experience.
Anyway, brick and mortar magic shops are great! Today I go to Market Magic in Pike Place Market (another place with lots of wonderful atmosphere) and chat a bit with Daryl Beckmann or Sheila Lyon. The shop has that cluttered feel that a true magic shop is supposed to have. They have nowhere near the books that Hades used to have and 99% of the customers in there are non-magicians (I guess they have to sell lots of dribble glasses and fake doggydoo to pay the bills) but it is a good magic shop that I enjoy going to when I'm in Seattle.
Well, just a few thoughts and memories from me. See you at the magic shop!

For everyone who visited Mickey in his younger years, you will be glad to know he is doing very well in Calgary, Alberta. Mickey suffered a stroke in 1995 and had to work extremely hard to regain his speech. For anyone who knows Mickey, you will quickly realize that it takes more than a stroke to keep him down. When I met him last month, his mind was still as sharp as a tack.

I was privileged to spend some time with him and a few other magician friends in Mickey's home. He then came out to a magic lecture with us and we had an absolutly wonderful evening. Several of us rented a car and drove for 3 hours to get to the lecture (which was o.k.), but the real thrill was meeting Mickey and listening to him talk about days gone by.

Kent

YES! When I was a little boy and recently bit by the magic bug I got the Tacoma phone book and looked up "Magic" in the yellow pages. Thorsons was the only listing under magic shops. I begged my mother to take me there. The next time she went downtown on the bus she took me along. We entered that old building next to Kress'es, walked up the stairs and walked into a small shop where a woman was sitting behind the corner. I looked at some linking rings, rice bowls, and cup & balls (all Adams products) but, alas, bought nothing. Imagine my surprise when a month later on my birthday I received all three tricks as presents! Thanks, Mom! Anyway, the business is long gone but the building is still there. I walked in there about a year ago and walked up those same stairs to the same door. Lots of pleasant childhood memories flooded back.