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Al's Magic Shop: Difference between revisions
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[[Al's Magic Shop]] was a widely-known magic shop run by [[Al Cohen]] in Washington D.C., that carried | [[Al's Magic Shop]] was a widely-known magic shop run by [[Al Cohen]] in Washington D.C., that carried a large inventory of magic items for 58 years, starting in 1946, until it was closed in 2004. | ||
==The "Oriental Bazaar"== | |||
The | In 1936, as a young man, Al began working at his father Macye Cohen's gift shop, "The Oriental Bazaar <small>&</small> National Gift Shop", in Washington D.C., which sold gift items and novelties, and during tax season, even prepared Income Tax returns.<ref name=MUM1>"Al Cohen: The Best Pitchman in Magic", [[M-U-M]], June 2013, p. 40.</ref> He continued to work in the shop while attending college, and in 1946 they started adding some magic tricks from the [[S.S. Adams Company]]. From those early origins, the store would eventually evolve into Al's Magic Shop.<ref name=washingtonian1>"It Takes a Flexible Man to Sell a Rubber Chicken", by Vic Sussman, the ''Washingtonian'', April 17, 1988, p. 15.</ref> | ||
==Al's Magic Shop== | |||
Besides innumerable performers and amateur magicians who would frequent Al's Magic Shop, Al and Stan also saw an array of real characters pass through their doors and past the rubber chickens. One lady who visited frequently tried to get them to burn all their decks of Tarot cards, and to attend an exorcism with her, because they were cursed from having the cards in the shop. Stan said they politely declined her invitation, and told her, "Hey, lady, you're cracked."<ref name=washingtonian1/> | The store was originally located on Pennsylvania Ave. near 12th Street in D.C. Above the glass display cases of magic apparatus and conjuring materials and publications, the ceiling was papered with hundreds of King, Queen and Knave playing cards flung up there by numerous visiting magicians showing off their "Card on the Ceiling" skills.<ref name=washingtonian1/> | ||
Threatened by demolition during the Pennsylvania Avenue Re-Development project in the 1970s, Al and his son, Stan, who also now worked in the shop, decided to relocate, and in 1980 moved to their new location at 1012 Vermont Ave. in Washington, between 15th and K Streets. | |||
==Numerous Magicians, and Other "Interesting" Clientele== | |||
Besides innumerable performers and amateur magicians who would frequent Al's Magic Shop, Al and Stan also saw an array of real characters pass through their doors and past the rubber chickens. One lady who visited frequently tried to get them to burn all their decks of Tarot cards, and to attend an exorcism with her, because they were surely cursed from having the cards in the shop. Stan said they politely declined her invitation, and told her, "Hey, lady, you're cracked."<ref name=washingtonian1/> | |||
The shop would also get interesting phone calls from time to time. Al remembers one caller asking: "Is this the magic shop?" "Yeah", Al answered. "Do you sell dried bat's blood or newt's eyes?" inquired the caller. "I'd tell them", said Al, "No, but I've got stink bombs. Will that do?"<ref name=washingtonian1/> | The shop would also get interesting phone calls from time to time. Al remembers one caller asking: "Is this the magic shop?" "Yeah", Al answered. "Do you sell dried bat's blood or newt's eyes?" inquired the caller. "I'd tell them", said Al, "No, but I've got stink bombs. Will that do?"<ref name=washingtonian1/> | ||
==Al's Retirement== | |||
Al's Magic Shop officially closed its doors on April 12, 2004. | Al's Magic Shop officially closed its doors on April 12, 2004. | ||
Revision as of 02:41, 18 July 2015
Al's Magic Shop was a widely-known magic shop run by Al Cohen in Washington D.C., that carried a large inventory of magic items for 58 years, starting in 1946, until it was closed in 2004.
The "Oriental Bazaar"
In 1936, as a young man, Al began working at his father Macye Cohen's gift shop, "The Oriental Bazaar & National Gift Shop", in Washington D.C., which sold gift items and novelties, and during tax season, even prepared Income Tax returns.[1] He continued to work in the shop while attending college, and in 1946 they started adding some magic tricks from the S.S. Adams Company. From those early origins, the store would eventually evolve into Al's Magic Shop.[2]
Al's Magic Shop
The store was originally located on Pennsylvania Ave. near 12th Street in D.C. Above the glass display cases of magic apparatus and conjuring materials and publications, the ceiling was papered with hundreds of King, Queen and Knave playing cards flung up there by numerous visiting magicians showing off their "Card on the Ceiling" skills.[2]
Threatened by demolition during the Pennsylvania Avenue Re-Development project in the 1970s, Al and his son, Stan, who also now worked in the shop, decided to relocate, and in 1980 moved to their new location at 1012 Vermont Ave. in Washington, between 15th and K Streets.
Numerous Magicians, and Other "Interesting" Clientele
Besides innumerable performers and amateur magicians who would frequent Al's Magic Shop, Al and Stan also saw an array of real characters pass through their doors and past the rubber chickens. One lady who visited frequently tried to get them to burn all their decks of Tarot cards, and to attend an exorcism with her, because they were surely cursed from having the cards in the shop. Stan said they politely declined her invitation, and told her, "Hey, lady, you're cracked."[2]
The shop would also get interesting phone calls from time to time. Al remembers one caller asking: "Is this the magic shop?" "Yeah", Al answered. "Do you sell dried bat's blood or newt's eyes?" inquired the caller. "I'd tell them", said Al, "No, but I've got stink bombs. Will that do?"[2]
Al's Retirement
Al's Magic Shop officially closed its doors on April 12, 2004.