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Pagan holidays in 2023 are based on ancient pagan traditions and practices. These holidays are celebrated by many modern pagans and are often connected to the cycles of nature and the seasons. 1. Imbolc: On February 1st, pagans celebrate Imbolc, which marks the halfway point between the winter solstice and the spring equinox. It is a time to honor the growing light and the goddess Brigid. 2.

They haven't opened a magic shop, they acquired an existing one that has been operating successfully for decades. I predict you are wrong.

Those who worked for the prior owner were always demonstrating, engaging customers in and out of the store to get them inside, knowing they were being watched via video as well as in house mgt. The sort of people you want in other words skilled salespeople will want high numeration but the sort of people that magic shops often end up with are minimum wage types or starving magicians.

2. Ostara: Occurring on March 20th, Ostara is the spring equinox and is associated with the arrival of spring and new beginnings. It is celebrated with rituals and feasts to honor the balance between light and dark.

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Josh and Andy just announced they purchased Houdini's Magic Pier39 shop (San Francisco) and the magic shop on Disneyland Main St.

Re: Vanishing Inc buys Houdini's Magic Shop

Post by erdnasephile » December 30th, 2022, 5:38 pm

Thanks for posting! I'm glad the deal is confirmed.

Dustin Stinett Posts: 7159 Joined: July 22nd, 2001, 12:00 pm Favorite Magician: Sometimes Location: Southern California Contact:

Re: Vanishing Inc buys Houdini's Magic Shop

Post by Dustin Stinett » December 30th, 2022, 5:38 pm

This is old news to those of us who frequent Disneyland (I've known it since at least early summer), but for some reason they wanted it kept quiet. I take it that they announced it during their annual "letter" video?

Richard Kaufman Posts: 26913 Joined: July 18th, 2001, 12:00 pm Favorite Magician: Theodore DeLand Location: Washington DC Contact:

Re: Vanishing Inc buys Houdini's Magic Shop

Post by Richard Kaufman » December 30th, 2022, 5:41 pm

Dustin Stinett Posts: 7159 Joined: July 22nd, 2001, 12:00 pm Favorite Magician: Sometimes Location: Southern California Contact:

Re: Vanishing Inc buys Houdini's Magic Shop

Post by Dustin Stinett » December 30th, 2022, 5:57 pm

Re: Vanishing Inc buys Houdini's Magic Shop

Post by Tarotist » December 30th, 2022, 7:12 pm

I wish them luck with it. Opening a magic shop nowadays is asking for trouble. They are closing down all over the place left, right and centre.
Of course this is a tourist location so they might be in with a chance. The secret is to get GREAT demonstrators. That is the entire key. And it is not easy to do. The other thing is to be very selective on the merchandise for sale. Catering for magicians will lead to disaster. And the other major problem is for the owners to be absentee landlords. If they are not there at least 70% of the time I predict failure. When the cat is away the mice will play.

Re: Vanishing Inc buys Houdini's Magic Shop

Post by Mac Stone » December 30th, 2022, 7:42 pm

Tarotist wrote: I wish them luck with it. Opening a magic shop nowadays is asking for trouble. They are closing down all over the place left, right and centre.
Of course this is a tourist location so they might be in with a chance. The secret is to get GREAT demonstrators. That is the entire key. And it is not easy to do. The other thing is to be very selective on the merchandise for sale. Catering for magicians will lead to disaster. And the other major problem is for the owners to be absentee landlords. If they are not there at least 70% of the time I predict failure. When the cat is away the mice will play.

They haven't opened a magic shop, they acquired an existing one that has been operating successfully for decades. I predict you are wrong.

Re: Vanishing Inc buys Houdini's Magic Shop

Post by Tarotist » December 30th, 2022, 9:16 pm

Tarotist wrote: I wish them luck with it. Opening a magic shop nowadays is asking for trouble. They are closing down all over the place left, right and centre.
Of course this is a tourist location so they might be in with a chance. The secret is to get GREAT demonstrators. That is the entire key. And it is not easy to do. The other thing is to be very selective on the merchandise for sale. Catering for magicians will lead to disaster. And the other major problem is for the owners to be absentee landlords. If they are not there at least 70% of the time I predict failure. When the cat is away the mice will play.

They haven't opened a magic shop, they acquired an existing one that has been operating successfully for decades. I predict you are wrong.

I predict that I am right. After all, I AM psychic you know.
Anyway, I will tell you what I will do. In one years time, providing I am still alive, I shall bring this post back and we will see if they are still in business. I have been selling magic all my life and not just as a pitchman. I know what I am doing. I think they are out of their area of expertise. Still, we shall see in one years time.

MagicbyAlfred Posts: 2387 Joined: June 7th, 2015, 12:48 pm Favorite Magician: Bill Malone Location: Myrtle Beach, SC

Re: Vanishing Inc buys Houdini's Magic Shop

Post by MagicbyAlfred » December 31st, 2022, 9:13 am

I wish them good luck and success. Succeeding in business is no easy feat. Especially the business of operating a magic shop -- and now more than ever in view of the prevalence of online vendors. Among other things, it takes very hard work, planning, resourcefulness, and skillful and reliable personnel. And yes, location, location, location. Josh and Andy are go-getters, and they obviously have a significant amount of business experience, but surely the business of operating a brick and mortar magic shop presents challenges that are different from an online business.

As to the personnel aspect, I agree with Mark. A great demonstrator(s) is key. What sells a trick is blowing the customer's mind. This, in turn, requires smooth, clean, skillful presentation of the trick. When a demonstrator accomplishes this, especially up close and in person (as opposed to an online video), it immediately instills in the customer a fervent desire to be able to astonish other people the way they just were. They believe that by buying the trick, they too will be able to accomplish the little miracle they've just witnessed. That's what makes them reach for their wallets. They will, of course, find out that there is far more involved than just learning the secret..

Re: Vanishing Inc buys Houdini's Magic Shop

Post by Diego » December 31st, 2022, 10:51 am

True: with Josh & Andy investing their ability and experience, it won't fail for lack of trying. Pro-active demonstrators are the key. Those who worked for the prior owner were always demonstrating, engaging customers in and out of the store to get them inside, knowing they were being watched via video as well as in house mgt.
I have seen demonstrators at the Disneyland store who were good and sometimes the store had clueless staff that must have been brought over from another area of the park, that day, knowing nothing of the merchandise or their purpose for being there.

Wizardz in Universal City had a passive demonstrator and sometimes other non-demoing staff that acted only as store clerks, but when Ray Pierce took over for a time, he brought the excitement that brought passer-by into the store, excited that they too could do magic, and buy things because they were told what to ask and pay for.

Re: Vanishing Inc buys Houdini's Magic Shop

Post by Tarotist » December 31st, 2022, 11:01 am

BarryAllen Posts: 185 Joined: November 15th, 2009, 6:33 am Favorite Magician: Joe Riding & Chan Cansta. Location: Nuneaton England

Re: Vanishing Inc buys Houdini's Magic Shop

Post by BarryAllen » December 31st, 2022, 1:51 pm

I wish them every success in their quest to keep two bricks and mortar outlets in business.

However, as Mark correctly points out, the type of Magic tricks that the average (non-magician) punter buys is far removed from what a more experienced Magician would be interested in.

I'm sure that they've got the business acumen to look at the books and identify what sells.

I may have only been a schoolkid back in 1978-80, but I quickly learnt that I could sell Svengali packs, plastic Cups & Balls the Dutch Looper and Dynamic Coins all day long - to tourists.

After these tricks, there was some (albeit less) interest in the Professor's Nightmare, Stripper pack and Spot Paddles. When it came to the rest of the Paul Daniels Dubreq Magic range; and the few Tenyo items that we stocked (Sandwich Platter, Wandering Hole and Squeeze Play) - forget it. They more or less sat on the shelves gathering dust for most of the time.

As also alluded to above, the key element of any future success will be the demmers. These ideally need to be Salesmen, not Magicians - who will often use every opportunity to showboat their finger-flinging skills. In fact, if I opened a Magic Shop, I think I'd rather recruit experienced sales people - who knew diddly-squat about Magic from the outset.

Running a Magic Shop for Tourists is all about a quick dem (not overly complicated) then getting the MONEY whilst they're still a captive audience. As anyone will know who has sold (relatively) low cost items, it's about shifting the numbers to an interested crowd - BEFORE they have a chance to walk away and spend their money elsewhere. The mindset needs to be "you've got a wallet in your pocket - and I want some of the contents" - not "here's another Magic Show for free folks".

Just my experience anyway. Having sold countless very high-value holidays and cruises as a travel agent over many years, nothing compares to cutting my teeth demming jokes and Magic tricks as a teenager. Oh such happy, happy days!

Re: Vanishing Inc buys Houdini's Magic Shop

Post by Tarotist » December 31st, 2022, 2:34 pm

There could also be a high turnover of demonstrators. Who the hell wants to work with videos watching them all the time? And there is a catch 22 situation regarding salaries. The sort of people you want (in other words skilled salespeople) will want high numeration but the sort of people that magic shops often end up with are minimum wage types or starving magicians. Easier on the overheads that way but the downside is that the sales go down. And they don't last long anyway.

The best chance of success would be for Josh to work one location and Andy to work the other but of course that ain't gonna happen for obvious reasons. Which means delegation to other people. And that is where the trouble starts.

Incidentally Barry has the right mentality where this kind of thing is concerned.

Re: Vanishing Inc buys Houdini's Magic Shop

Post by AJM » December 31st, 2022, 2:52 pm

Re: Vanishing Inc buys Houdini's Magic Shop

Post by Tarotist » January 1st, 2023, 4:57 pm

I suppose I should mention another obstacle with regard to staff. I could easily not mention it of course but then I would be doing a disservice to the new owners. New staff suffer from a disease known as "mushroomitis" in the business. Of course none of you especially the new owners will know what "mushroomitis" is. You have to be in the grafting business to understand and experience it. It applies in the situation under discussion too. Still, if I just tell you all what it is it will be ignored and not filed away in the memory for future use. However, if you, especially the new owners, make the effort to find out what it is then of course it will stick in the mind far better.

I haven't looked it up on google yet but I will be surprised if it is there. It is part of our secret language. Still, seek and ye shall find.

Richard Kaufman Posts: 26913 Joined: July 18th, 2001, 12:00 pm Favorite Magician: Theodore DeLand Location: Washington DC Contact:

3. Beltane: Celebrated on May 1st, Beltane is a festival of fertility and the arrival of summer. It is often marked by bonfires, dancing, and rituals to bless the land and encourage growth. 4. Litha: On June 21st, pagans celebrate Litha, also known as the summer solstice. It is the longest day of the year and is honored with rituals to appreciate the sun's power and abundance. 5. Lammas: Taking place on August 1st, Lammas is the first harvest festival and is associated with abundance and gratitude for the earth's bountiful crops. It is a time to give thanks and celebrate the fruits of the harvest. 6. Mabon: Occurring on September 22nd, Mabon is the autumn equinox and represents the balance between light and dark. It is a time to reflect on the harvest, give thanks, and prepare for the coming winter. 7. Samhain: Celebrated on October 31st, Samhain is considered the most important pagan holiday. It marks the end of the harvest season and the beginning of the dark half of the year. It is a time to honor ancestors, remember the dead, and connect with the spirit world. 8. Yule: Taking place on December 21st, Yule is the winter solstice and celebrates the rebirth of the sun. It is a time of renewal and hope, with rituals to honor the return of the light and the start of a new year. These pagan holidays in 2023 provide opportunities to connect with nature, honor ancient traditions, and celebrate the ever-changing cycles of life..

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