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Difference between revisions of "Al's Magic Shop"
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| − | [[Al's Magic Shop]] was a magic shop run by [[Al Cohen]] in Washington D. C. | + | [[Al's Magic Shop]] was a widely-known magic shop run by [[Al Cohen]] in Washington D.C., that carried an inventory of magic items from 1946 until closing in 2004. |
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| + | 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 gifts and novelties, and during tax season, 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 added some magic tricks from [[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> | ||
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| + | The store was originally located on Pennsylvania Ave. near 12th Street in D.C. Above the display cases of magic apparatus and conjuring materials and publications, the ceiling was papered with dozens 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/> | ||
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| + | Threatened by demolition during the Pennsylvania Avenue Re-Development project in the late 1970s, Al and his son, Stan, who also now worked in the shop, moved to their new location at 1012 Vermont Ave. in Washington, between 15th and K Streets in 1980. | ||
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| + | 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/> | ||
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| + | 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/> | ||
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Al's Magic Shop officially closed its doors on April 12, 2004. | Al's Magic Shop officially closed its doors on April 12, 2004. | ||
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| + | {{References}} | ||
[[Category:Magic Dealers]] | [[Category:Magic Dealers]] | ||
Revision as of 07:28, 18 July 2015
Al's Magic Shop was a widely-known magic shop run by Al Cohen in Washington D.C., that carried an inventory of magic items from 1946 until closing in 2004.
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 gifts and novelties, and during tax season, prepared Income Tax returns.[1] He continued to work in the shop while attending college, and in 1946 they added some magic tricks from S.S. Adams Company. From those early origins, the store would eventually evolve into Al's Magic Shop.[2]
The store was originally located on Pennsylvania Ave. near 12th Street in D.C. Above the display cases of magic apparatus and conjuring materials and publications, the ceiling was papered with dozens 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 late 1970s, Al and his son, Stan, who also now worked in the shop, moved to their new location at 1012 Vermont Ave. in Washington, between 15th and K Streets in 1980.
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."[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 Magic Shop officially closed its doors on April 12, 2004.
