Chicaco Magic History - Part One: Magic Shops

[Scott Wells]

Chicago has a rich history of magic dating back over 100 years. Quite a few of those who are well-known in our community have roots in the Midwest and many have come out of Chicago. To understand where we are, how we got here and to chart a course for our future, we need to look to our past. It is good to look over our shoulders once and a while.

There are those in our community who don't like to be told that their "new" ideas have already been invented and in fact may even be found in a "book". I can say this without risk of someone arguing my point because those people are not reading this now nor even care to open this thread because they have no interest in our history. So their time will be wasted on "creating" something that already exists and posting it on YouTube rather than building on the foundations of what we already have and already know and actually moving our art forward.

That being said, I could go on with this "old man" rant but the focus of this post is to direct you to a conversation I had with Don Wiberg, Past International President of the I.B.M., who resides in Chicago and is a font of knowledge when it comes to Chicago architecture and Chicago magic. In this week's podcast on The Magic Word, Don talks about the latter rather than the former expertise.

During my recent trip to the I.B.M. convention in Grand Rapids, Michigan, I spent time with Don in Chicago and had an extensive conversation that ran well over two hours. I broke up the conversation into two podcasts the first of which this week focuses on magic shops in and around Chicago and some of the people who owned, operated, worked and hung out in those shops. Towards the end of the podcast, we also began to venture into the famous Chicago Round Table where Don regaled me with stories about many of those original members.

But first this week, you can hear Don Wiberg talking about old magic shops (that have long since shuttered their doors) and long-time magicians (some of whom have also left us) in and around old Chicago in the 1900's on this week's podcast. You can visit the blog for more information and photos and where you can also listen online or download the MP3 file at: https://www.themagicwordpodcast.com/sco ... g-part-one

Of course you can listen to the podcast through iTunes, iHeart Radio, Stitcher, Tunein, and more. Be sure to subscribe to the podcast so you don't miss another weekly episode. And be sure to subscribe to our weekly newsletter by filling in the form at the bottom of the page at: https://www.themagicwordpodcast.com/sub ... agic-word/

[Steve Bryant]

Part One contains some really funny lines from Bob Lewis that you will find yourself repeating.