Back on Monday

Due to our hectic schedule, the blog will resume on Monday. Tune in, because we have a mega surprise for you...

Until then,

Paul

Magic is the Word!

Lots of excitement happening this week at Hocus Pocus! Magic, magic, magic, coming in, going out... The excitement here still hasn't died down. It seems as though the growth of our customer base has exploded. It's exciting to see that this year promises to be the biggest and best yet!

Last week we got in an item called Magic Postcards. They are extremely well done and quite a value at $8.95 a pack. I think they'd be great to send your customers as a pre-show reminder or a thank you afterwards. Our own Mike Giusti found a better way to use them by purchasing a frame for about the same price as the postcards and mounting them inside. Take a look:



Pretty cool, huh? Mike will adorn the walls of his new home with this and many other magically-themed posters and memorabilia. We can't wait to see it when it's done. Escrow closes for him today, and his final walkthrough yesterday went as smooth as silk.

Last week, we hinted about Robert Baxt doing technical work for a television series. Robert Baxt was involved with coaching the actors to perform magic and brought in Mark Canon to assist with the escape portions. Robert sent photos in this week as well as some information regarding the series:

The episode of the CBS-TV hour long drama series "The Ghost Whisperer" is titled "Miss Fortune" and is scheduled to air on March 10th at 8:00pm. In the story, there are two brother magicians played by actors Jonathan Firth and Orlando Seale. One drowns while doing an underwater tank escape and his brother is haunted by his ghost when he tries to do the same dangerous escape. Only Jennifer Love Hewitt can see the ghost and bring closure to the brothers.


Robert Baxt with Jennifer Love Hewitt (nice work if you can get it)


Coaching Jonathan Firth in full character


Robert with the actors



Last year, R. Paul Wilson showed us an incredible Color Changing Deck routine based on the old UF Grant trick "Cheek to Cheek." We begged him to release it, and with Paul's hectic schedule barely allowing him to breathe, he finally agreed to let us manufacture and distribute this effect. It is highly recommended and worth checking out here!

On the home front, the major remodelling project is finally beginning to wind down. The kitchen is the last room to go, and for the last two night, my eldest son, Cole, has taken on the job of removing all the tile from the countertops. Now, if you don't know how this is done, let me explain: With a crowbar in one hand and a sledge hammer in the other, it's bang and chip, bang and chip! Finally, about 11:00 PM, the job was done and we're left with no kitchen sink, no range top and no stove, which equals no cooking at home for the next two weeks. Perhaps I should take up a career as a restaurant critic as we'll be going out to dinner for a while.

I hope you all have a great weekend while I am sweeping up all the dust from the chipped tile. But, as Betty keeps reminding me, it's going to look fantastic when it's all finished.

Until next time,

Paul

Back in the Saddle Again!

Well, sort of... The last 3 1/2 weeks, I've been fighting an upper respitory infection, which has knocked me for a loop. After countless doctor visits and several antibiotic perscriptions, I can honestly say that today's the best I've felt! My doctor tells me that I should be 100% in another week. I'm hoping he's correct.

Everybody's done a great job holding down the fort in my absence. We had all-time record sales for the month of January, thanks to you! New products are barreling their way through the doors, and we can't put it up fast enough. Watch the site as we have a new line of products from France that will blow your mind, and it will be our exclusive. They will begin appearing very soon so keep your eyes peeled! It's a unique and new technique that has been introduced to some of the classics of magic -- a real new spin that will fool 'em all! We're very excited about it, and we're sure you'll love it!



In other hot news, in case you're one of the few who don't know about it, the new Cesaral Melting Point has officially arrived and ships out to everyone who pre-ordered TODAY! Obviously, this is already predicted as one of the most stand-out effects of 2006, and you should grab it now while you still have a chance. Check out the product and all three videos here and prepare to be blown away!

There's no business like show business. My son, Max, will be in this year's school play, "The Music Man," this evening and is also part of the tech crew! Betty and I will be going to watch his performance tonight, and we're really excited about it!


Robert Baxt & Mark Cannon

In other show business news, I just got off the phone with Robert Baxt who announced that the movie he worked on last year with Danny DeVito will be released next month. The new title of the film is called "Even Money," and Mr. DeVito plays the part of a down-on-his-luck magician. Robert is also working on the TV series, "The Ghost Whisperer" as a tech advisor along with our good friend Mark Cannon of Cannon's Great Escapes for an upcoming episode that is all-around magic and escape artistry.



Hocus Pocus has been working with the good people of David Blaine Productions for his upcoming special scheduled to air sometime in March. The date is tentatively scheduled and subject to change, so stay tuned for any changes. The special will be unlike any other David Blaine special to date.

In our own news, our own Mike Giusti has purchased a condo and got some good news: escrow will be closing a week early and new appliances were installed. The condo got a clean bill of health from the home inspector, and we're watching Mike take home a ton of boxes in preparation for the big move. We can see his excitement as he has wanted to own his own place very shortly after he sold his home, and it looks like that will be coming true.

The World Magic Seminar starts February 19th-22nd. We look forward to all the visitors we get from the people coming from or going to the Seminar. Remember, you're always welcome here at Hocus Pocus.

So I guess I should stop prattling now; so much has been happening in my absence. Special thanks to all of you who sent well wishes, e-mails, and phone calls. I sincerely appreciate it.

Until next time,

Paul

It's Me Again!

Hi, all. Mike Giusti here. Again. I'm writing for Paul again for the third week, who is still out sick but promises to be back Monday with a vengeance come hell or high water. Whatever this bug is that's going around has hit everybody pretty badly. In fact, I was sick when I performed a gig last Saturday night for a venue that has given me bad luck in the past, like the "Curse of the Babe." And this time I was hired to entertain during the mealtime. If there's one thing you know well during years of performing, dinner is the WORST time to perform. Well I'm happy to say that I broke the curse, and both my agent and I couldn't be happier. Although I still have the sniffles, I'll need to gear up again for 4 gigs over the weekend. I don't think I even know how I do it anymore... Wish me luck!

On a personal note, I want to take the opportunity to thank all of you who have been listening to the Mike on the Mic program that I host for Magic Broadcast. Between the number of magicians and myspace pals, the number of listeners has tripled in just over two weeks. Look for another installment this Tuesday at 8:15 - 9:15 PM PST.

Paul called me to inform me that we're going to obtain a list of items from a defunct magic shop through one of our suppliers. There will be, as a result, a list going up on our web site sometime next week for our members, who will receive first dibs on some pretty incredible merchandise at vastly discounted prices. If you are not yet a member, you can sign up for free here in order to make sure you are one of the lucky ones who receive the list.

Is it busy yet? It still remains incredibly busy, even though the end of January is near. There are new products hitting the website every single day, and I must say that I'm struggling just to keep up! There are a few items that have caught my interest, including the new Cesaral Melting Point, Tossed Out Deck by Cody Fisher, and the Pro Tipover Trunk, which is just gorgeous! And the price of each item cannot be beat! Make sure you check them all out on the site.

So until Paul returns, have a safe and fun-filled weekend.

Mike

Hijacked Again!

Mike Giusti here again this week. I'm hijacking the blog again due to some pretty weird cold bugs flying around and infecting California. I think everyone here has had at least one form of the common cold already this year, and this week it has taken hold of Paul. Since he rarely takes time off, it's odd to come into the shop and not see him at his desk, wheeling and dealing on the phone. Let's hope he does what he needs to do, and that's rest up and take care of himself.

The shop itself is buzzing with excitement. I would have thought that after the holidays, the action would have leveled out somewhat, but no way -- the phones are ringing off the hook, and the products are coming in faster than ever. I'll be the first to admit that I'm pretty fast and self-sufficient with product placement and web graphics, but some days can get pretty hectic, even for me... But that means that anytime you hear about a brand new magic effect hitting the market, there's almost a 100% chance it's already here at Hocus Pocus!



One of the products I'm personally excited about is the new Cesaral Melting Point, which can be found here! Take a look at the product and then view the video demonstration. Cool, isn't it? Both Melting Point and Ghost Coin remind me of similar effects performed by Cyril Takayama, one of Japan's up-and-coming premier magicians. If you haven't had the chance to see Cyril perform on the television series T.H.E.M. last year, do a Google search with his name and check out some of the incredible effects he's performing for Japanese TV!

Can you believe it's almost February? I never understood my grandmother when she said that the older you get, the faster the days go by. Man, she wasn't kidding in the least! February is going to be an exciting and busy month for me; I've purchased a condominium, and I couldn't be more excited! There's nothing worse than owning a home and then renting (even for a short amount of time). But now I'm on day 5 of escrow, and I should be moving into my new home around Valentine's Day. This place is perfect for me. As a single man, it's got everything I need; it's not too big and it's not too small. It's been beautifully upgraded and painted, and it feels especially warm during the winter months. Here are some pics for your perusal:


Living room


Another view of the living room


Dining Area/Kitchen


Master bedroom


Hallway from the kitchen to the front.


Guest bedroom


Ahhhh. A gas stove! I love it!

In other news, we had a very nice surprise earlier in the week when my friend Robert Baxt showed up with a friend of his to visit Hocus Pocus -- Daisuke Seo of Japan! What a nice fellow Daisuke is. His father is the largest maker of mouth coils in Japan, and naturally, Daisuke is also a magician. He had a field day when he saw Hocus Pocus and went nuts looking through the vast inventory and even picked out some things for himself!


Daisuke Seo and Robert Baxt

Well, that just about does it from the ol' compound. More than likely, Paul will be back next week for the next installment of "From the Desk of Paul Gross" blog. Until then, think of me packing my stuff up while you enjoy the rest of your January!

Until next time,

Mike

Happy Anniversary!

Hi, everyone. Mike Giusti here. I've hijacked the blog once more in order to help Paul with one of his New Year's resolutions: to take one Friday of every month off. And what better way to take the day off than to celebrate your wedding anniversary? I say there's no better reason; Paul and his lovely wife, Betty, have been married for 15 years and they are taking time to spend with each other today. Congratulations, Paul and Betty! Here's to at least 15 more!!!

Personally, I'm very excited. Extremely excited, in fact. Tomorrow, I am going to take a second look at a condominium I've had my eye on for a time, and I just may put in an offer on Saturday. As you all know, I sold my house back in August and am now in a transitional phase. The condo I've looked at has everything I could ever ask for and more! I'll keep you all up to date as to how it goes. It's a little more than I had expected, but that's the housing market around here in Fresno: everything has just exploded, and we're all struggling to catch up! Professionally, I'm excited as well. I've spoken with my agents and the shows are already coming in for 2006. More so than 2005!

Back when I was in high school, a friend of mine showed me a videotape of a gentleman performing some of the most incredible magic I had ever seen. In fact, some would argue that this gentleman was one of the most influential performers of the last century. I don't know where he obtained it, but the tape was of the incomparable Fred Kaps. It was the only video I had ever seen, and it was he that inspired me to be a magician. In fact, the reason I perform the Long Salt Pour is because of Fred Kaps!

A couple of years ago, I was able to get a copy of the first DVD released about Fred Kaps, entitled "Fred Kaps: Seeing is Believing!" and I was speechless. Finally, after all these years, there was a DVD of Fred performing all his routines as well as interviews with other magicians who knew him. However, it was only available through a single source. Until now. I'm very happy to announce that Hocus Pocus is carrying "Fred Kaps: Seeing is Believing!" Believe me when I tell you that there is always more to learn. And what better way to learn than by watching the most incredible performer of them all in my opinion. With a twinkle in his eye, Fred Kaps will captivate you from the very beginning. In fact, you'll want to watch this DVD over and over again. You can even see a video clip of Fred Kaps performing at the FISM World Championship in Liege in 1961. Check it out here!


The incomparable Fred Kaps!

Do yourself a favor and check out some of the latest items appearing daily on the Hocus Pocus website, including the Locking Spirit Slates by Alan Marchese, Ambelitious Card by Masuda, and the Tossed Out Deck by Cody Fisher, all of which I give my highest recommendation!

Until next time, have a terrific weekend!

Mike

And the Rain Came

We asked for it, we needed, but we weren't prepared for it like this! Starting last Thursday afternoon, it began to rain like it's never rained before! It rained non-stop until well after New Year's Day. The streets were flooded and the drainage systems were backed up from all the water. In fact, a couple of people couldn't even get here on Monday. My sister, Jan, mailed me pictures of her house, and it looked like it was sitting on top of a river. In fact, the water was so high, her neighbor's car was floating on the water! Tony lost his power over the weekend for an entire day, and the rest of us seemed to escape any peril. Now we're gearing up because it's supposed to rain again in a few days. I advised my sister to buy a boat!

Although we had a soggy New Year's here, I hope you all were able to enjoy last weekend with your family and friends. It was pretty low key at our house, as we rang in the New Year by watching the Twilight Zone Marathon on the Sci-Fi Channel (my favorite thing to do every New Years). Oh, and after all the holiday shows, Mike decided to celebrate the New Year by doing the following:




Carl Ballantine

We all had a slight scare Wednesday as we found out that our good friend, Carl Ballantine, was rushed to the hospital and was believed to be suffering either a heart attack or a stroke! Happy ending though, as it turned out that one of the medications that Carl takes was causing his potassium levels to increase, which caused his heart rate to increase as well. The doctors have decided to keep him a couple of days for observation, but he's doing very well. When I spoke to Robert Baxt last night, he was happy to report that Carl was complaining about the lousy room service at the hospital and cracking jokes with the nurses. I'm very happy that things worked out so well. If you'd like to email Carl a get well note, email them to me at sales@hocus-pocus.com, and I'll make sure he receives them.

Here at the shop, we're running faster than before; you'd think Christmas is still around the corner. The New Year promises a ton of new merchandise, and we've already felt the impact the first week of January as evidenced by the new items on the web site. The biggest problem we're having is room; we're running out of it. I remember when we first moved into this building about ten years ago, I thought it would be more than enough. Now, we can barely move from one department to another! We keep putting off the prospect of moving to a larger location, however, we've torn down walls, built racks, and even a second story loft. Who knows; we might just have to start looking at the realities of moving to a mega-space. Oh, the thought of moving all this again just doesn't appeal to me.


Marvin Burger, AKA, the Buma.

As a kid, there was absolutely no place to buy magic in Fresno. When I was about 12 years-old, my parents found a place in San Francisco called House of Magic. That's where my real magic education began. The owner of the shop, Marvin Burger, affectionately known as Buma, took me under his wing, and I learned about all aspects of magic, current and antique. There was nothing like a visit to Buma's shop. It's there where I met guys like Pete Biro, Emil Clifton, Martin Lewis, Woody Woodward, Tommy Cooper, Vic Kirk, and of course, the incomparable Paul Chosse! You never knew who would walk in the door! There was no greater influence on my life as a child, and the House of Magic was beyond compare. It had a vibe about it that was unequalled! After Buma passed away, his son, Mark, took over and ran the business until just a few weeks ago. I was very sad to hear that, after almost 40 years, the House of Magic closed its doors forever. It may be the end of an era, but what great memories I'll always have.

Until next time,

Paul

Happy New Year!

Well, Christmas is over, the tree is gone (it had a very short stay in the den this year), and I promised Max next year that we'll have the biggest tree we've ever had. That gave him something to look forward to. I hope all of you enjoyed your time with your family and got everything you wanted for the holidays. For me, the best gift was having my entire family together, albeit short, it was a great visit and a fun time.

As I sit here and write this, it's hard to believe the year has already come and gone. I can't remember a year passing as quickly as this one has in my entire life! Now it's time to make those resolutions that we all dread. I'll be keeping mine to myself for the most part, but I will share with you that as I grow older, the more important things in life like family stick out and become more of a reality for me. Hence, I'll be taking more time off this year to spend with loved ones and friends.

I want to personally thank each and every one of you for your gifts, well-wishes, cards, and emails during the holiday season. It really means a lot to me to come to work in the morning and see such happy, positive and cheerful messages. I also want to thank all of you for making this year the biggest and most successful in the history of Hocus Pocus! It is your continued support that drives us and keeps us motivated to be the best magic shop we can be. I promise that 2006 will be an even bigger year for us and a more exciting one for you!

May your New Year's Eve be happy, safe, fun-filled, and joyous!

Until next time,

Paul

Happy Holidays!

Well, we made it! Tomorrow the festivities begin on Christmas Eve. We'll be going to my mother in-law's for Christmas Eve lunch and then later we'll be going to my cousin's house for our annual Christmas Eve party! After the celebrations, it's off to bed until Christmas day! We'll go to my mother in-law's for breakfast, and everyone will open their gifts there, and then we'll go to my sister's house where we'll all enjoy a nice Christmas dinner. Of course, everyone will be there, and more gifts will be shared and a great time will be had by all... I'm extremely happy that all my kids will be together this year as it is harder to keep them together the older they get.

Meanwhile, the Christmas tree saga has a happy ending. I mentioned that while we are remodeling our house, the tree spent most of its time on the front porch. That is, until last week. Now, it proudly stands in the den. Max, my son, decorated the tree all by himself this year, and I must say that he did an outstanding job! Of course, since the tree went up, Max's first question was, "Where are the gifts?" Have no fear; the next day they began to magically appear... Today, it is covered and surrounded by gifts, and Max couldn't be more excited!

It's been Christmas here at the shop as well as there have been more new products arriving than ever! I'll give you a little hint: there are some great new products that will be announced in January to kick off the New Year, so stay tuned!

Believe it or not, the shipping department is still buzzing today getting out those last-minute packages and orders. It really has been the busiest Christmas season we've experienced here at Hocus Pocus. Again, we have you to thank!

No matter how you celebrate your holidays, remember the most important thing is the time spent with family and loved ones. Don't let the holiday rush and the little things stand in the way of spending valuable time together.

Thank you to everyone who have sent us your holiday cards and gifts! It really added an extra touch of excitement everyday! I want to leave you with a touching email I received from Randy Schostag:

Paul

Thank you for the contributions that you have made to our community during 2005. I believe that Hocus Pocus has raised the bar and set a tough standard for others to follow. Here's wishing you a very Merry Holiday and a prosperous and healthy New Year.

Randy Schostag

Thank you very much, Randy! Your words mean a lot to myself and everyone here at Hocus Pocus.

On behalf of all the Hocus Pocus family, I wish you the very best holiday this year!

Until next time,

Paul

Ho Ho Ho!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas. Everywhere you go. Well, it's just around the corner now; less than 1 week away before Christmas, and we certainly feel it here. The phones are a-ringin' off the hook, the email inbox is full, the answering system's going haywire, and the shipping department is going nuts! In fact, the shipping department has been staying late in order to make sure all orders go out in a timely fashion just in time for the holidays. Moreover, most of us are in the shop earlier to make sure your orders make it to you on time. This guarantees you the best customer service anywhere!

Last week, we promised you updates and pictures from the first annual Hocus Pocus Christmas Party, but we can only deliver the update. Unfortunately, Mike got snowed in at the Tenaya Lodge in Yosemite during a show Saturday and could not attend the party. And, since he also had the camera with him, there are no pictures to share. But I can tell you that everyone had a great time at the Golden Chinese Restaurant. Good company and great cheer were had by all, I'm happy to report. I guess we'll just have to do it again next year...



The beautiful Tenaya Lodge in Yosemite - a great place to get snowed in.

Christmas Tree Update:

You may remember that last week, I spoke about finally picking up a Christmas tree for the Gross household. Well, we finally picked one up on Monday, but our painter had other plans. So, on the front porch it sits to this day, but not for long. It will be up tonight, guaranteed! And you know what that means: my son Max will be circling the tree like a shark looking for presents. He'll be poking, prodding, investigating, and bribing us to tell him what they are. We'll never give in, though.

Well, gotta go. The phone's are ringing and the emails are piling up.

Until next time,

Paul