One Day Early

Posting a day early this week as I am planning on taking an extended weekend to spend with my family. Max and I are starting out early Friday morning putting the finishing touches on the aviary, which I'll hopefully have pictures for next week's blog. Max is very proud of the finished product, as he should very well be; the whole project turned out a lot better than we expected. The aviary will become a major focal point in our yard. By this evening, our flock of doves will be living in their new home.


Bruce Kalver

This week, my good friend, Bruce Kalver, the creator of such great effects like Tipper Monkey, the Growing & Shrinking Head, and many others, stopped into town on his way to Los Angeles and spent a couple of days with us. Bruce is from Rhode Island and is in California on official SAM business and performing along the way. It's been 7 years since his last visit, and although we talk all the time on the phone, it is a nice change when he comes to visit.

Our Estate and Private collectible sale was a massive success, thanks to all of you. The majority of the items sold within a period of 24 hours and a lot of great, hard-to-find items found new homes. Mike and I are in the process of creating a second list, which we will be posting in the coming weeks, so stay tuned.


The Magic Castle

Next week is the Magic Castle Swap Meet. I'll be attending looking for unique and hard-to-find items. If you're there and see me, be sure to stop me and say hello. I'll be the one rubbernecking along with everyone else... If you've never attended and you are in the area, do yourself a favor: stop by and get ready to check out some terrific deals on items you may have never even seen before!

Spring vacation is here, and my son, Cole, visiting from college flew to Tennessee on Tuesday to visit relatives. His flight left in the afternoon and he was to arrive in Tennessee at around 9:00 PM, but unfortunately, the weather had other plans. They had to arrive in a different airport for a long layover and it wasn't until 4:00 AM that he finally arrived at his destination. He'll be back Friday just in time to celebrate Easter.

Easter weekend is officially here. If you celebrate the holiday, be sure to enjoy yourself and the time spent with family and friends.

Until next time,

Paul

It's Been 1 Year Already?

It's hard to believe, but it's been exactly one year since we've moved into our new location. It doesn't seem possible, however, if you came here to visit us, it looks like we've been here forever! The move was one of the best things to happen to us here. Remember, we'd love for you to stop by and see us if you're ever in our area...

AVIARY UPDATE:

Last weekend, Max and I began building the new aviary and we got the entire thing framed and leveled. Max has painted it and tonight, the roof goes on and Max will install the screen and paint tomorrow. By Sunday, our doves should be living in the lap of luxury.



I received an email from our friend, Paul Kozak, who is being honored Sunday with the Merlin Award Comedy Magician of the Year presented to him by Criss Angel and Cindy Margolis in Las Vegas. Nobody works harder than Koz, and if anyone deserves this, it truly is him. Congratulations, Kozak!

COLLECTIBLES/ESTATE ITEMS FOR SALE!


Just some of the items appearing this Saturday


For as far as the eye can see!


Thayer Barrel of Spirits

Mike and I have been feverishly working all week on a new private collectible/estate list that we are sending out via email this Saturday afternoon to all of our online members. There are just about 200 items on this list and almost all are in mint condition as the original owner was not a performer of magic, but rather a collector. There are a lot of great items and above is just a sample of some of the items available. If you want to participate but are not yet a member, there is still time to sign up below:

FREE MEMBERSHIP SIGNUP

These events are always very popular, and most of the items sell within 24-48 hours, so if you see something you want, don't delay as all items are sold on a first-come-first-served basis.

This week, we had a nice surprise come in the mail: Kovari Ultimate Chinese Sticks have arrived and are shipping as we speak! They're even better than I thought they could ever be! In fact, I'm so convinced that they are the best you can buy, I'm willing to back them up with a money-back guarantee! If you aren't completely satisfied with the Kovari Ultimate Chinese Sticks, simply return them within 30 days for a full refund, no questions asked! How many magic dealers can say that about their magic items?

So that about wraps it up for this week. I hope your weekend is a great one!

Until next time,

Paul

Come Out Flying, Boy!

In the immortal words of Carl Ballantine, Max and I will be spending this weekend building a new aviary in our back yard. We've now accumulated 14 doves and are still looking for more. The aviary itself will be 16 feet long by 8 feet wide by 6 feet tall with roosting boxes and hopefully, this will encourage our feathered friends to multiply. Max has designed the aviary himself, sketching it out on paper and figuring out all the details. He's very excited to begin the project, and the weather will be most cooperative as it's expected to hit the 80s.


1968 Plymouth Roadrunner

Last week, I talked about going to the Automrama with Max. We had a great time and we must have circled all the cars at least a dozen or more times, with Max salivating at every vehicle. He took over 100 pictures of all the cars. His favorite, however amongst all these, was a 1968 Plymouth Roadrunner, fully restored. Anyone out there have one for sale?


Big Ben

Just got off the phone with Robert Baxt, having just returned from England, where he was booked to perform and lecture at a magic convention. Robert said that after his lecture, he sold everything that he brought with him and more, had he taken it with him. He also had a chance to visit the prestigious Magic Circle magic club. All in all, he had a great time and promises to fill me in on all the details once he gets over the jet lag.

In case you haven't noticed, more and more products than ever have hit the web site, and I couldn't be more excited. Every day when the UPS truck pulls up, I run out to the warehouse like a kid during Christmas time to check out and open up the boxes. In fact, I'm still going through a large private collection I purchased several weeks ago and one of the highlights is an original Thayer Vanishing Radio. The unique feature of this particular model is that the radio can be sitting somewhere else before being picked up and set atop its table before the vanish! It's in such great condition, it's almost like it just rolled off the Thayer showroom. Check it out for yourself:


Thayer Vanishing Radio

Several local magicians who have stopped by the store have inquired about it, but this one's not for sale; it's for my own private collection!

Can you keep a secret? Speaking of exciting new products, I can't let the cat out of the bag entirely here, but I wanted to make you aware that we have recently secured the manufacturing rights from one of magic's "heavy hitters," a name familiar to you all. This is a comedy effect that has been a signature routine of this person's act for many, many years, and was even featured on television on more than one occasion. Now that we've hopefully peaked your interest, all I can tell you is that everything is in the manufacturing process now, and will appear on the web site very shortly. If you want more details, give me a call and I'll tell you all about it. Call me toll-free 800-407-4040.

Mike wanted me to congratulate the winners of his Most Embarrassing Moments Contest, which ended Tuesday:

3rd Place - Shawn Cyr

2nd Place - Keegan Man

1st Place - Bryan Gilles

The emails and calls were overwhelming, and Mike had a hard time deciding on a winner as all the submissions were terrific!

So as we wrap it up for this week, I want to wish you all a great weekend, and please think of my son and me as we toil in the heat making a new home for Max's birds.

Until next time,

Paul

Magic, Cars, & More Magic, Oh My!

I say it every week, and this week is no exception: WHAT A WEEK IT HAS BEEN! So many new and exciting products have come through our doors, we can hardly keep up. And with Mike taking a couple of days off this week, we struggled to keep up with all the updates, but we managed... The two days have equalled an entire week of products appearing on the site!



Yesterday alone, Mike put up 15 new products and more appearing today! Notably, make sure you check out the re-release of Kovari's Ultimate Chinese Sticks! Remember these? Well, they are back and better than ever! Even when they were available, they were hard to come by. Through special negotiations with Kovari, Hocus Pocus has obtained the rights to manufacture and sell this incredible magic effect that plays equally well for adults and children. The comedy ending wherein the tassels grow longer and longer is not only an incredible magical feature, but an amazing mechanical marvel as well! We're very excited about this project (can you tell?) and are happy to bring it back!



Please also note that we've obtained the incredible Astor line of Mental and Close-Up Magic. Just type in Astor in the search feature and you'll see it all, and it is fantastic! They are all great effects of excellent quality that will last you a lifetime!



Another product I'm really excited about (and pleasantly surprised about) is the Deck to Cell Phone! When I first heard about this, to be honest, I thought, "OK..." Then they arrived and WOW! What an incredible idea with an even more incredible application. Believe me when I tell you: BUY THIS; I GUARANTEE YOU'LL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED!



Ever since we put Bang On by Marc Oberon on the web site, we've taken at least 2 dozen orders for it per day! Wow! This one is hot, hot, hot! Remember, Hocus Pocus is still the only US dealer with Bang On in stock for immediate delivery.



Speaking of in-stock, Richard Sanders' Any Ring has been a pleasant surprise. It wasn't until Mike let me in on the secret that I thought it was nothing more than an ordinary ring handkerchief. Oh boy, was I wrong... Richard Sanders does it again and I know it's a winner when Mike buys two of them! Remember, this makes a perfect accessory to Richard's top-selling Interlace effect, also available for immediate delivery at Hocus Pocus! Oh, and don't forget: Any Ring is on special right now for the low price of $16.95 POSTPAID anywhere in the USA and half price shipping for all our overseas and foreign friends. This offer is good until Saturday, March 31 at midnight PDT!

How many of you forgot to set your clocks back this week? Everyone here remembered, thank goodness, however my son, Cole, did not which made for a frantic run for his first class on Monday morning. It's a good thing he knows how to move fast because he was not one minute late.



Tomorrow is the Autorama! This is a yearly car show and an event for my family and me, especially for Max! Max is car-crazy, and that's being mild about the subject! It's "Dad, look at this car, Dad, look at that car, Dad, look at these rims, wheels, steering wheel, odometer, gear shift!" You get the idea... We own every car magazine out there, and Max watched every car TV show there is. When I was his age, it was all about magic tricks but his passion about cars equals mine for magic. If I'd only kept that 1976 Firebird, my first car. I only paid $900.00 for it, which at the time seemed like a fortune. Nowadays, they're bringing in $30,000.00 and upwards!

Mike was completely taken by surprise with the response to his Most Embarrassing Moments Contest on Tuesday! He received so many emails, he had to stop reading them all and save them for this Tuesday! Emails flooded his inbox from California to Japan! Remember, if you haven't already submitted your Most Embarrassing Moment, you still have time. The giveaways for the top 3 are as follows:

3rd Place:

Man of Danger videos by Simon Lovell, 1-4
Stand-Up Pop-Up video by Meir Yedid
Sprizzer, the Movie video
Dan Harlan's Packs Small, Plays Big videos 1-3
The Light Fantastic video by Jay Scott Berry

2nd Place:

Business Card Magic DVD by Mark Wilson
Sales Magic DVD by Mark Wilson
After Dinner Magic DVD by Mark Wilson
Jumbo Bicycle Box filled with magic goodies
Magic Broadcast T-Shirt
Chuck Fayne Live video
The Magic of Dominique Duvivier videos, 1-3
Harry Lorayne Magical Classics video
Lorayne, Best Teacher Ever videos, 8, 9, 10
Martin A. Nash Live video
Award-Winning Card Magic of Martin A. Nash videos 4-5

1st Place:

Interlace by Richard Sanders
Collard by John Archer
Change Cap

All you have to do to submit your Most Embarrassing Moment is email it to Mike at mike@magicbroadcast.com

Or you can leave a voice message on the Magic Broadcast Talkback Line at 888-808-2412.

Or you can call Mike live on the show this Tuesday, March 20 at 8:00 PM PDT toll-free at 888-851-1534.



Thanks for all of you who asked to "get mugged" by Hocus Pocus last week. Our free gift with purchase last week of a special magician's mug was a huge hit. We sent out over 250 mugs with orders last week. This was so successful, we want to do it again. If you want to get your magician's mug, all you have to do is ask for is with your next order. It's our free gift to you with any purchase. This offer expires next Friday, March 23 at midnight PDT.

So there it is. Lots of excitement and always something new at Hocus Pocus.

Until next time,

Paul

Bang On!

These two words are two of the hottest words to hit the magic community for a looooong time! Magician Marc Oberon has produced what will be the biggest-selling trick of the year called "Bang On." This was one of the biggest effects and most talked-about items at the recent Blackpool Convention in England. And for good reason; the reviews and hubbub have already begun on various chat boards, and I can honestly say that the advertising copy for this product is 100% accurate with no hype whatsoever. In fact, let's recap it here:



A spectator merely THINKS of any card from a regular 52 card deck. This is a totally free choice and there are absolutely no forces involved. You explain that the card that they are thinking of is in your wallet. It is named aloud by the spectator, and sure enough, the performer opens his wallet and takes out one envelope. Just one. It is opened and inside is the spectator's though-of card and nothing else is in the envelope. It's that clean!

Many of magic's top pros scooped this up immediately and now you can, too! This is a routine that Marc uses in every one of his professional performances as well as featuring in his multi-award winning competition act.

Purchase now to receive everything you need to do the very same effect. Includes instructional DVD with several different presentation ideas.

This is perfect for any venue, whether you work close-up, parlor, or stage, and the outcome is different each and every time.

"The finest effect of its kind I've ever seen!" -- Ian Rowland

Hocus Pocus will be the first U.S. dealer to have Bang On in stock in the next few days. After Mike posted the product on our site, in less than 24 hours, almost 80 units have been sold! Don't miss out on this one, gang!

While you're on our web site, make sure to check out Marc Oberon's other released effect, "Odd Ball." All I can say is this guy has got it goin' on! Smart thinking, great advertisement, and tremendous products! We're very proud to offer these products to you, our Hocus Pocus customers.



Another hot item this week from the recent convention scene is the Bathrobe Costume Change. We posted this on the web site earlier on in the week as we had limited stock on hand. In less that 24 hours, we completely sold out, and we removed it from the site temporarily. The phones immediately rang off the hook and the emails came pouring in asking about this product and where it went. If you are interested, I have 6 more on order and due to the fact that each of them are hand-made, we expect delivery within the next 4 weeks. We already accepted 2 pre-orders and if you wish to get in on this, you may pre-order yours as well to guarantee delivery. Check out the video performance below:



So as promised last week, many new items are already hitting the Hocus Pocus web site from the recent conventions. One other product that I highly recommend is "Collard" by John Archer. These arrived early this week and have been flying off the shelves! Mike was one of the first ones to grab it for himself as he plans to use it in a totally unique way.

Speaking of Mike, he wants me to remind everyone that his semi-annual contest, the Most Embarrassing Moments promo is running again this coming Tuesday, March 13th and Tuesday, March 20th on the Magic Broadcast. His show hits the airwaves at 8:00 PM PDT, and he is giving away prizes donated by both Hocus Pocus and Magic City, including Collard, Change Cap, Interlace, DVDs and videos! Details on how to enter the contest can be found RIGHT HERE!

The weather here promises to be in the 80s this weekend, which as I sit here and type this, is hard to believe as it's cold and overcast today. I guess we'll just have to wait and see what tomorrow brings.

One more thing: remember to set your clocks AHEAD 1 full hour this Saturday at midnight.

Hope you all have a great weekend.

Until next time,

Paul

I'm Back...

What a phenomenal couple of weeks it has been! Sorry for not posting last week; we had so many things going on including many out-of-town visitors. Two major conventions last week: Blackpool in England and the World Magic Seminar in Las Vegas. Many of our friends and customers made the journey from Las Vegas to Fresno to stop by and say hello, like our good friend, Gerardo Para from Chile. Gerardo arrived last Friday and stayed four days with us leaving to go back home Tuesday. Gerardo had a great time and absolutely loved our new location. Of course, he did some major shopping while he was here as well, asking us our opinions on certain effects.


Gerardo Para and me.

Speaking of these two conventions, many new and unique products were introduced at both conventions and we've already placed our orders with the creators. Many of them will be arriving in less than two weeks, so stay tuned to the web site for many, many updates. I guarantee you will not be disappointed!



As far as new products are concerned, Mike has been putting products on faster than ever these past two weeks. Highlights include Richard Sanders' Any Ring, the perfect add-on accessory to Richard's best-seller, Interlace as well as your existing borrowed ring routines. Other items to check out include the Miser's Delight, Andy Nyman's Dead Zone Pro, and make sure you check out the brand new Jay Sankey category which includes ALL of Jay's releases!


Who's the dummy?

Hey, I know what you're thinking, but don't say it out loud... As many of you know, I've been an avid collector of antique magic and ventriloquist memorabilia for many years now, and I recently acquired, with the help of Martin Breese, England's most revered ventriloquist and magical creator, the late Terri Rogers' Shorty Harris! Shorty has a great new home here and will be a treasured piece in my collection as he helps oversee the workings and goings on here at Hocus Pocus!

The Honor Roll. My son Max came home Wednesday smiling from ear to ear having received a certificate of honor as he made Honor Roll. Both Betty and I are extremely proud of him, and it's obvious to me now that he takes after his mother, academically... Speaking of Max, he has now added two more lovebirds to his collection, and he is actively working with them every single day training them. Who knows, maybe he'll develop his own bird act incorporating lovebirds instead of doves. A father can only hope...



My friend Robert Baxt just showed what may be, in my humble opinion, the greatest version of the classic Orange, Lemon, Egg, and Canary trick I've ever seen. It's great because it is absolutely the easiest, no fuss, no muss, routine I've ever seen! For those not familiar with the effect, a small bird is vanished, then an egg also disappears, and a lime goes after that. Displaying a coconut, it's cracked open to reveal the lime inside, then the lime is cut open to show the vanished egg inside it, and the egg is cracked open to reveal the bird inside! It's comical and mysterious!

Robert calls it "The Lime in the Coconut" and it comes complete with special imitation fruit that from a short distance away is undetectable from the real thing. You'll never have to run around shopping for produce at the supermarket again! And it can even be done with a supplied fake bird that you'd swear was real the way it moves. Now it's the perfect trick to travel with! No live animals, no real food! It can be done anywhere! Comes with a special cage that's different and more reliable than the regular method, and cloths that vanish the items for you. And this will be another exclusive to Hocus Pocus item. We're still working with Robert on the price and obtaining the custom made apparatus in quantity, but keep watching our website for information on when this wonderful crowd pleaser can be yours!



Oh, by the way, do you wanna get mugged by Hocus Pocus? No, not that kind of mugged. Check this out: I found these really cool ceramic coffee mugs that say "magician" in 13 different languages! You want one? Here's how to get one: any order you place between now and next Friday, March 9th at 5:00 PM PST, just ask and we'll ship one absolutely free with your order. That's right, it's your free gift with any purchase!

As you can see, it's as busy as busy can be here at Hocus Pocus. I'm sure glad it's Friday, because I could use the couple of days to relax. Here's to hoping you all have a great weekend as well and we'll see you next week.

Until next time,

Paul

No Blog Entry Today

But stay tuned as we'll return on Friday.

Until then,

Paul

A Little Magic Goes a Long Way...

Hey, all. Mike Giusti here with this week's blog.

Paul has been busy all week with a MASSIVE estate that has come through the doors of the warehouse, and it hasn't let up yet. There are things I personally haven't seen in years, and it's taking all my self-control to not pick some of this stuff up for myself...



Thanks to everyone who has sent me emails and phone calls congratulating me on quitting smoking. As of yesterday, it has been 3 weeks and 1 day without a cigarette! I have an ongoing bet with a bartender buddy at one of the restaurants I perform at that whoever went the longest without a cigarette got a free coffee every week from Starbucks. So far, I've received 2 vente non-fat lattes with hopes for a third, fourth, fifth etc. My friend, it seems, is having a more difficult time; it's a really hard habit to break, especially after 20 years. The joke is on him though because as long as I don't light up, I'll always be getting a free coffee. I don't know why, but this has been easier to beat than I originally anticipated. I'm convinced it's a genetic defect. In short, it looks like everyone is getting healthier and healthier here at Hocus Pocus, where the health nuts work!



Tuesday, February 27th on my radio program, the Mike on the Mic Show on Magic Broadcast, my special guest will be creator of Conjunction, Mr. Joshua Quinn. This man is a genius and figured out how to create a linking card effect with ONE business card without any tears, tape, or glue whatsoever! If you tune in, we'll be giving a free Conjunction away that evening. It could be you! Check out the Magic Broadcast for more details.



David Copperfield is going to be here next week, and the radio and television ads are everywhere! Paul is excited to be going as David's Car Prediction effect is one of his favorites, and he can't wait to see it again with a new pair of spectator's eyes. Check this out: David Copperfield has sold more tickets than both Madonna and U2 for the past couple of years!

We just got some news from Mark Wilson, who just called: It seems that Dealer Day has been postponed as it falls on the same day as the Academy Awards, and no one will be able to get anywhere near the Magic Castle. Stay tuned here as we'll find out more details as to whether it will be rescheduled or not.

Ciao for now,

Mike

Magic is in the Air!

Hello again. Magic is definitely in the air here in Fresno, California. This past week, Hocus Pocus hosted a lecture with the great Bob Sheets to a packed house! Bob was so hot, his lecture lasted just under 3 full hours! Everyone agreed they got more than their money's worth! Bob is a super guy who clearly LOVES what he does for a living, and it showed. If Bob comes to your town to lecture, do not miss out on this incredible performer and his knowledge!


Bob performs his version of the 3 Shell Game


Bob dices it up


Six Tricks in Two Minutes


Tony Blanco and Bob Sheets


Darren Romeo performs in Fresno

This weekend, Darren Romeo performs Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday evening at one of Fresno's most prominent casinos. All four shows sold out far in advance. We're hoping Darin gives Hocus Pocus a visit while he's here in town...


David Copperfield to perform in Fresno

If that isn't enough magic, David Copperfield will be in Fresno next Tuesday, February 19th, performing two sold-out shows at the famous William Saroyan Theater. Betty and I have tickets, so expect a full review after the show next week.

This week has surely flown by as we've been exceedingly busy, thanks to all of you. We've had more new products come through the door this week than ever before. Be sure to check out the web site to see all the latest and greatest items! In particular, make sure you check out Paul Harris' latest offering: Ladybug, a killer "come to life" effect that will surely separate you from your competition.

My son Cole came home from college due to a knee injury sustained from playing racquetball. It was quite a surprise to us when the doctor told us that he'd have to have surgery. Wednesday, the surgery took place and all went well. Cole is expected to make a full recovery very shortly after some physical therapy, which he starts today. Tomorrow, Betty and I will drive him back to school to help him get settled back into his dorm. His room is two flights upstairs with no elevator, so he's going to have to take it slow every day.

Greetings from the Bird Man! As I reported last week, Max has been diligently working with his two new lovebirds. Since we are gone all day, as soon as we come home and hear Max's voice, they immediately begin chirping and won't stop until he opens the cage to spend some time with them. Max is already working on me to get him another pair.

That about does it for this week. Have a fantastic weekend!

Until next time,

Paul

Hocus Pocus Storms The Castle

Hard to believe it's already the first week in February; so much has already happened this year. The Swap Meet was a huge success and I appreciate all the positive comments that we have received. We are in the planning stages at the moment to do this again later in the year. Stay tuned to the website for more information about this. Here are a couple of emails I received from our guests:

Paul and Tony I am a bit late in saying this but just wanted to say thank you very much for an extraodinary time. The day was more than I ever thought it would be. The lectures were surperb. Meeting Mark Wilson and Nani as well as Shoot and the others was fantastic. I really enjoyed the day. Please do it again.

Thank you,

Hugh "Skip" Webb

_______________

Hello Paul,

I just read your wonderful writeup and viewed the great photos. You, Betty, Mike, Tony, and all of your talented staff deserve such congradulations for creating, and assembling a very wonderful get-together. You all set an atsmophere making everyone happy and comfortable.

Dealers, lecturers, customers all had a perfect day. I can't say enough good words about what you accomplished. Thank you again for inviting us, and letting us be a part of last weekend with you. You are our good friends,

Magically,

Nani Wilson



We are starting up our lecture series again. Our first offering will be Bob Sheets. Bob's lecture is Monday, February 5th at 7:00 P.M. You can check out all the details on the front of the website at http://www.hocus-pocus.com. We have also booked England's Mark Mason to lecture on Monday, April 16th. I hope to see you there for the first of many more lectures to come.



Mark & Nani Wilson have asked us to be the feature dealers at the Magic Castle Dealer's Day event on Sunday February 25th. I am really excted about this, and Mike, Tony, and I hope to see many of you there.





New products are coming in the door faster than ever. Speaking of new products, two really hot and exciting items to keep your eye on are Change Cap by Creative Magic and Interlace by Richard Sanders. These two products have my highest recommendation and are sure-fire winners! You can't lose with these two!

On the home front, Max has taken up yet another new interest. As I've told you before, he's a 100% animal-lover, and this time, his new love is lovebirds. Last weekend, we purchased two lovebirds, cage, and all the necessities, and Max has already gotten one of them trained to jump onto his hand and climb up to rest on his shoulder! The other one is a little more hesitant, but he's slowly but surely coming around... Good thing Max isn't interested in alligators.

Wow... All this and it's only February!! I can't wait to see what this new year brings. Thank you all for your continued support and friendship. We'll see you at the Castle Sunday February 25th!

Until next time,

Paul