I am compiling a list of relatively well-known magicians who worked in magic shops or behind the counter of the magic section of a department store like Woolworth's or Gamage's. Here's my tentative list so far:
Will Goldston-- Gamages
Ned Williams (aka Robert Harbin)--Gamages Gamages department store.
Alan Wakeling--Thayer; Magic House of Charles
Mickey O’Malley--Harold Sterling's Magic Shop in Detroit
Mystic Craig--Saks Fifth Avenue during the Christmas season.
Karl Norman--Gene Gordon’s Magic Shop
Cardini--Gamages
Jay Marshall--Ireland's

----- Amado "Sonny" Narvaez

Steve martin worked in the shop at Disneyland early in his career.

Are you only wanting to focus on the US? If so, it would be interesting to compile a similar list for the UK. It's a great idea!

Max Maven worked at Hank Lee's Shop way back when. A good number of "names" had their own shops if those count too.

David Roth was at Fantasma in New York. I believe he was also at FAO Schwarz if I am remembering correctly.

Michael Skinner and Earl Nelson worked at Hollywood Magic. There were probably others there as well.

OK, I'll get started on the other side of the pond!

Jerry Sadowitz worked at International Magic. Notorious, outrageous and aggressive onstage (his act got banned last year at Edinburgh!); quiet, courteous and helpful behind the counter.
Stephen Mulhern (now a famous TV presenter as well as magician) worked for Marvin's Magic at Harrods when very young.

Ali Bongo worked at Hamleys magic department, Ken Brooke at Harry Stanley, Alan Alan also at Harry Stanley, Pat Page at Davenports....

And Alan Alan later had his own shop in London.

Didn't JC Wagner work at Sun Magic in AZ for a while?

Harry Baron ran the magic department at Gamages in London. I can’t work out the dates — certainly from the 1940s.

Harry also founded Kaymar with Joe Stuthard in the 1950s, initially as a wholesaler, later as a ‘bricks and mortar’. Absolute dream world for me as a youngster.

Yes, absolutely! My era was a bit later I think but I still vividly recall the thrill of walking through the doors of Davenports, International, Alan Alan and Repro Magic. They were effectively my magic schools.

I’ll never forget a day out to London with my dad. International (took out a subscription to Magic Info) then onto Repro. Both places so welcoming.
Geoff Maltby took us on a tour (huge place). In the workshop upstairs we met Pat Page. I came away with a BimBam Box which I used for years at children’s parties. (At Christmas it served as a useful stand for the budgie’s cage!)
I can still feel the excitement energy of that magical day.

I coveted the BimBam Box! That plush finish on Repro props was fantastic. I bought a different box from them (don't recall the name) - gold foil and red velvet, beautifully made. Like you, I used it for years for children's parties and cabaret. Now I only perform mentalism but can't bear to part with it!
So back to the topic: Pat Page working at Repro is a good addition to the list.

BimBamBox Enthusiasts Club!!! My old trusty workhorse pal is somewhere disassembled in my parents’ attic. I really think I should rescue it this year and give it a bit of tlc…!

The Repro finish: I remember the workshop was chock-full of crushed red velvetine, gold foil, and rubbery black contact material. I remember seeing production boxes being finished ( perhaps your very own) and an array of props in this livery. There was a ‘slim-line sawing-through’ in this finish on the table as Pat Page regaled us.

I think Harry Baron had a similar love of fablon and what he called ‘MagiPlast’!

On topic: I was never really sure if Pat Page worked at Repro or whether he’d popped in to ponder or pitch. I know he had a number of lines in the Repro71 catalogue [none in red, gold, and black]. I can’t imagine him not demming in the Repro palace!

Dan Stapleton worked at the Magic Shop on Main Street at Walt Disney World in Orlando. Dan went on to have a very successful career as a professional magician. When I was about 10 my family took a vacation to Disneyworld and I purchased a Chop Cup and some other items that I can't remember now (I still have the Chop Cup!) , but a few years later when I saw Dan Stapleton perform I realized he was the same guy who had been behind the counter when I visited the Magic Shop at Disneyworld.

That was a memorable trip, because I also got to see Bev Bergeron performing in the Diamond Horseshoe Saloon Review.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3lEAdXlJsFM