Looking for a Magic Shop Near You? What to Know First

A real magic shop is a wonderful place: a counter, a demonstrator who performs the tricks in front of you, and a back room full of things you did not know existed. They are also much rarer than they used to be. Here is how to find one — and what to do if there isn't one nearby.

How to find a magic shop near you

• Search maps for "magic shop" and "magic store", then read the reviews. Many results are costume or party shops with a single rack of children's tricks; a real magic shop will have reviews mentioning demonstrations and staff who perform.
• Ask a local magic club. Most cities have one, and its members always know where magicians buy.
• Look for magic conventions and lecture nights, where dealers set up tables.
• Check our city pages for local magic scenes, clubs and what to know where you live: magic in your city.

What a good magic shop offers

• Demonstrations. You should see a trick performed before you buy it.
• Honest advice about whether a trick suits your skill level and the way you perform.
• The method kept secret until you have bought — that is how it should be.
• A community. Many shops host jam sessions, lectures and beginners' nights.

Famous magic shops

A few legendary shops are still trading, and they are worth a visit if you are ever nearby:

• Davenports in London, family-run since 1898 and the oldest magic business in the world still in the same family.
• Tannen's in New York, founded in 1925, where generations of famous magicians bought their first tricks.
• Abbott's Magic in Colon, Michigan, the self-styled magic capital of the world, which hosts a magic get-together every summer.

New York's Martinka & Co., founded in 1877, was once part-owned by Harry Houdini.

What to buy on a first visit

Start with a handful of strong, simple effects that you can perform within a day, so you can start practising presentation straight away:

• A trick deck — the Svengali deck is the classic.
• [Sponge balls](/effects/sponge-balls) — magic in the spectator's hand.
• [Cups and balls](/effects/cups-and-balls) — the oldest trick in magic.
• A [rope routine](/journal/rope-magic-tricks).
• A close-up mat to perform on.

Best magic tricks for beginners.

Magic shop or online?

Go to a shop if there is a good one within reach: the demonstrations and advice are worth a great deal, especially when you are starting out.

Buy online when there isn't one nearby — which, for most people now, is the case. The classic props are the same wherever you buy them. Read what each one does before you choose, and build up slowly: a few props practised well beat a drawer full of tricks you never perform.

The magic shop's secret rule

Whether in a shop or online, a reputable seller never reveals a method to someone who has not bought the trick. If you find a seller giving away the secrets in a listing, shop elsewhere — they are giving away other magicians' work.

Magic supplies: what every magician needs · How to become a magician.