Magic Shops in San Diego

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Michaangelo
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Magic Shops in San Diego

Postby Michaangelo » June 6th, 2005, 9:02 am

I am a young magician who is visiting San Diego for a week. ANy tips or thoughts for good magic stores to visit while I am here? Thanks for any suggestions.

hnegash
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Re: Magic Shops in San Diego

Postby hnegash » June 6th, 2005, 10:51 am

Unfortunately Brad Burt's magic shop closed down about a year ago. The only magic shop I know of in San Diego is located in Sea Port Village. Sea Port Village is a tourist destination so they are stocked with the gag type of gifts, but there is quite a bit of magic there. Also, one of the guys that works behind the counter is an excellent magician so he'll be able to assist you.

Henok

Randy
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Re: Magic Shops in San Diego

Postby Randy » June 6th, 2005, 11:16 am

Henok,

Can you give us some feedback on why Brad Burt's shop closed i.e, retirement, health reasons, e-business competition, etc?

I had met Brad a few times while traveling through San Diego and he was always very nice. Hope he is doing well.

mark
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Re: Magic Shops in San Diego

Postby mark » June 6th, 2005, 4:45 pm

Randy,
Having just moved, I don't have the information at hand, but the last word I had was that Brad was still selling out of his garage. I believe that meant he was doing mail order business with the rest of his inventory. I think his previous illness and the inability to manage his business for awhile took its toll. I spoke to him of a visit that I made while he was out of the picture the last time. He told me that it was a familiar story, and that it had cost him dearly. He is such a nice man, or has been to me, anyway. I wish him nothing but the best. Oh, one other thing - it sure does seem to me that there was another shop in the area - does anyone want to weigh in from the San Diego area? I really did think that I'd visited some other venue in the area.

Guest

Re: Magic Shops in San Diego

Postby Guest » June 30th, 2005, 4:24 pm

Yeah, the other shop that you probably visited was the shop in Sea Port Village. It is located by the Convention Center Downtown.

There is another shop located in Northern San Diego County, more specifically Temecula. I believe it is called The Trick Shop. I have never been there but what I understand is that is comparible to the shop in Sea Port Village (magic and gags).

S.Segal

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Pete Biro
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Re: Magic Shops in San Diego

Postby Pete Biro » June 30th, 2005, 4:31 pm

Magic shops MUST sell "gags" to pay the rent... the magic sales are no where like they used to be thanks to online shopping.
Stay tooned.

Guest

Re: Magic Shops in San Diego

Postby Guest » June 30th, 2005, 4:58 pm

Originally posted by Pete Biro:
... the magic sales are no where like they used to be thanks to online shopping.
Neither are the shops... :(

S.Segal

cgscpa
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Re: Magic Shops in San Diego

Postby cgscpa » June 30th, 2005, 7:25 pm

Brad Burt is still selling online. His website is:

http://www.magicshop.com/

JamesKellogg
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Re: Magic Shops in San Diego

Postby JamesKellogg » January 16th, 2013, 4:48 pm

If you come back to San Diego there is a great store in northern San Diego area. 3 Generations of Magic. huge selection
www.3generationsofmagic.com

James Kellogg
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Re: Magic Shops in San Diego

Postby James Kellogg » February 5th, 2013, 1:04 pm

The best magic shop in southern California is
3 Generations of Magic
741-B Olive Ave
Vista CA USA
760-842-1552
www.3generationsofmagic.com
Order online as well - this is the only brick and mortar magic shop for 200 miles.
James Kellogg Jr.
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Richard Kaufman
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Re: Magic Shops in San Diego

Postby Richard Kaufman » February 5th, 2013, 4:21 pm

Please don't make the same post in multiple threads.
Subscribe today to Genii Magazine

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Dustin Stinett
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Re: Magic Shops in San Diego

Postby Dustin Stinett » February 5th, 2013, 8:27 pm

James Kellogg wrote:...this is the only brick and mortar magic shop for 200 miles.

While this may be a fine shop, and it certainly is the only one left in the Greater San Diego area, I do think the 200 mile claim might be something of a surprise to Best Magic in Anaheim (72 miles and in business since 1979) and The Magic Apple in Studio City (103 miles).

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erdnasephile
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Re: Magic Shops in San Diego

Postby erdnasephile » February 5th, 2013, 11:08 pm

I used to go to Best Magic. Haven't been there for about 5 years, but when I was there last, the stock was really depleted.

BTW, Dustin, don't forget about the other Magic Shop within 200 miles: the Main Street Magic Shop at Disneyland. I was there the day after Christmas, and had a nice chat with the guy behind the counter. There were a few surprising things in the shop including multiple copies of Dai Vernon's "Revelation". The merchandise host told me that one day Mike Caveney, Bill Goodwin, and the other Greg Wilson came walking in. Caveney pointed at the copies of "Revelation" and said: "I wonder how many years those have been there!"

The other thing that caught my attention was the presence of several copies of the Jimmy Grippo book. (Of course to buy it, you gotta lay out a hundy just to get in the park, which makes the purchase price less of a bargain.) :)

I also heard the shop's days may be numbered. Back in the day I did some shifts in Merlin's Magic Shop in Fantasyland, and I was very sorry to see it go. If the Main Street shop goes as well, it'll be a sad day as a big part of my childhood goes kaput.

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Dustin Stinett
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Re: Magic Shops in San Diego

Postby Dustin Stinett » February 6th, 2013, 12:01 am

erdnasephile wrote:...don't forget about the other Magic Shop within 200 miles: the Main Street Magic Shop at Disneyland.

I did think of it, but because it's in the park I didn't add it. Geno Munari (Houdini's), who owns the Main Street Shop, used to have a kiosk in Downtown Disney; I'm not sure if it's still there (and I wouldn't count that anyway).

I also heard the shop's days may be numbered. Back in the day I did some shifts in Merlin's Magic Shop in Fantasyland, and I was very sorry to see it go. If the Main Street shop goes as well, it'll be a sad day as a big part of my childhood goes kaput.

This is troubling news if it's true. And if you go back that far (as I do), you'll remember when general admission to the park was $5. We lived close, so my mom sometimes used to go shopping on Main Street if she needed something special for a gift. I'd go and hang out at the magic shop. The first thing I ever bought there were some sponge balls. I still have the Card Frame and the Color Vision Box I got there. So many memories, it would be terrible if the Main Street Magic Shop was no longer there.

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erdnasephile
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Re: Magic Shops in San Diego

Postby erdnasephile » February 6th, 2013, 6:08 am

Dustin Stinett wrote: And if you go back that far (as I do), you'll remember when general admission to the park was $5.


Yep...I'm so old that I remember what an "E" ticket was. (I remember always having a bunch of those "A" tickets left over since I never wanted to ride the train).

I read that Merv Taylor was involved in opening Merlin's. Was he part of the Main Street shop as well?

I also hope the possible closure rumor isn't true. Orlando notwithstanding, how do you have a Magic Kingdom without a magic shop?

Jim Riser
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Re: Magic Shops in San Diego

Postby Jim Riser » February 6th, 2013, 2:03 pm

Did not Merv Taylor (or his wife) have a shop on the ground floor of the old Disneyland Hotel in the late 1960's? I remember several of the MT items being for sale there and I do not think it was a part of the park magic shops.

If I look long enough, I probably have some A and E tickets left over from the old days. Mr. Toad's Wild Ride and the train around the park were a good way to cool off on a hot day. As I recall, they were an A ticket ride.
Jim


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