Boo!

Well, it's almost here! Halloween, that is. I remember years ago, before there were all these Halloween Specialty Stores, Halloween was one of the biggest holidays for a walk-in magic shop. You would start buying and planning a year in advance for all your Halloween sales. Starting every year, on August 25th, we would move every single stick of non-Halloween inventory, lock, stock, and barrel, out of our shop and fill it with Halloween merchandise. In five short days, on September 1, we were Fresno's official Halloween Headquarters! We were so packed with customers, you could barely move from one counter to another! We used to hire a security guard just to stand watch at the door and do crowd control. We were located in a shopping center at the time, and the lines would go clear around the shopping center. I wish I took pictures. Then, on November 1, the day after Halloween, we would have to close for one full week to remove all the Halloween inventory and fill the shop back up with magic items to prepare for the oncoming Christmas season. It sure was a lot of work but definitely worth it! Today, we are no longer in the Halloween business with the advent of the Internet, but the magic business keeps us busy all year 'round!


Gene Simmons

Kiss. The famous rock star, Gene Simmons, paid a visit to Fresno yesterday to promote his new line of men's and women's colognes. The promotion was held at Gottschalk's department store. My daughter, Renee, who manages the men's and women's shoe department was his official liaison. She called me to tell me what a gentleman he was and even went out of his way to spend an extra 2 hours with fans, taking photos and signing autographs. Renee took several photos herself, and hopefully I'll be able to post them here next week.

Speaking of my daughters, my youngest daughter, Aimee, just turned 21. OH NO! To celebrate, she and her sister, Renee, took off for Las Vegas this morning. I really do hope that what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas...

My oldest son, Cole, will be visiting us from St. Mary's College this weekend to help celebrate Halloween. He spoke to Betty last night to tell us he's coming down, and he already has his itinerary filled for the weekend. We're hoping to at least get a couple of hours with him before he has to go back.

Max now has a new interest (go figure). Besides cars, girls, and various pets, he just acquired 3 quail. When the Fresno Fair was here and we went to the exhibits, Max went nuts over the quail exhibit. He took the phone numbers off the cages and called them. The rest is history, and history now resides in our back yard alongside our doves.


The Prestige

This week, Betty and I took in The Prestige with Christian Bale and Hugh Jackman. If you haven't seen it yet, RUN OUT AND DO IT TODAY! The movie is terrific, and the ending is even more so! With movies like The Prestige and The Illusionist, it's fantastic to see Hollywood take a closer look at magic and its rich history. There are so many details in The Prestige that you magicians should be able to recognize them all. In fact, it was so good, I'm thinking about seeing it again.

That about wraps it up. Don't forget to set your clocks BACK (yea, we gain an hour!) this Saturday evening before you go to bed. So stock up on your Halloween candy and get ready to trick or treat!

Until next time,

Paul

What a Weekend!

Sorry for not posting last Friday, but as you all know, we were in Hollywood, CA. to attend the 2nd Annual Magic Castle Swap Meet. Betty and I left early friday morning followed by Mike and his girlfriend, Julie. We arrived around 11:30 AM and headed over to Musso & Frank's for what's now become our traditional luncheon. Everyone was there, including Pete Biro, Joe Porper, Glenn and Melinda Farrington, Chuck and Gerald Kirchner of Magic City, Lou Hirschorn of Disney Studios, LA radio personality Shotgun Tom Kelly, Rick and Josette Burr, Steven Steele, Robert Baxt, and Carl Ballantine. We started the lunch off with a toast to Carl Ballantine, wishing him a belated 89th birthday and presented him with a special gift, a custom embroidered hat with his name and WGM printed on it. He immediately put the hat on and as always, kept us entertained throughout the luncheon.


The official Hocus Pocus Hollywood Hangout


From left to right: Shotgun Tom Kelly, Gerald Kirchner, me, Chuck Kirchner, Glenn Farrington, and Carl Ballantine (seated)


All the gang at the Hocus Pocus Luncheon


A view from the other end of the table


Josette Burr chats it up with Joe Porper


Mike and his girlfriend, Julie

After lunch, we headed back to our hotel where a group of us sat and caught up. We talked about the magic business and how it's changed over the years. Before we knew it, it was time to get dressed and head over to the Castle, where we had one of the finest dinners ever! After dinner we caught the Palace of Mystery show. Whit Haydn was the MC, and this was the first time I'd seen him perform in his new character. He was great and brought the house down several times. Other performers were Eric Buss, who did a hilarious Pogo Stick routine and his lounge singer closer had everyone rolling! Next was Murray, the CD Guy, who performed several illusions and some unique effects using CDs. After that, we all caught some acts in the Parlor of Prestidigitation and the Close-Up Room. Before we knew it, it was almost midnight. Time to go to sleep to rise early for the Swap Meet.


The gang at the Magic Castle

We all met at 8:30 AM and stood in line talking with people like Jay Leslie, Chuck Kirchner, Dave Baram, and Burton Sperbur, anxiously awaiting the doors to open. Once the doors opened, it was complete pandemonium! I immediately went downstairs to meet Joe Porper, where he showed me his new coin bender, which you can read about HERE! He also showed me a new deck switcher and several items soon to be released. As always, Hocus Pocus will be the first dealer to bring all these items to you. Joe and I even gave Mike a birthday present: one of Joe's new Salt Pour gimmicks, which Mike still walks around palming everywhere he goes!


Eagerly awaiting the opening doors


Joe Porper, the master of all he surveys


The crowd pours in to check out all the vendors' wares


Inside the Seance Room

Upstairs, I ran into my good friends, Dick and Gwen Barry. Dick is one of the most creative people in magic, as he's always coming up with something new. He was excited to show me his new and improved version of his Snake Basket, which you can find HERE. He told me that he was only producing 18 of them, and we could have 12. The rest were for his customers. I immediately took them all, and we're almost sold out of them! After visiting with a few more friends and picking up some hidden treasures, it was time to go. Can't wait until next April to attend the next one!


Dick Barry showing me his new Snake Basket


Todd Karr, me, and Pete Biro


Robert Baxt and I working on a hot deal over the phone

So in other exciting news, after many years of requests, we have finally added a new section to our web site. It's called Meet the Staff, and you can see everyone who works for Hocus Pocus and learn a little more about them HERE! It's just another window for you to peek into the goings on here at Hocus Pocus and the people behind the scenes. Now you can finally put a face to all the names.

In the meantime, the holiday sales have already begun here at Hocus Pocus as it's obvious that many of you are planning well ahead. Remember, it's adding little touches like these that will set you apart from the competition. So as we head into the holiday season, start pre-planning for your events now.

This weekend is Betty's birthday. I'm going to take her out to her favorite restaurant tomorrow evening and hopefully, sometime this weekend also catch The Prestige with her.

So there you have it, another exciting week and weekend at Hocus Pocus and another exciting weekend to come! Thanks again for taking time to read this blog and thanks to you who keep sending me nice letters, emails, and comments.

Until next time,

Paul

Await the Return

We've just returned from our weekend in Hollywood at the Magic Castle, and we will tell you all about the juicy details this Friday, October 20th. Stay tuned.

Paul.

The Final Countdown...

It's official! One week from today, Mike and I will be in Hollywood gearing up for the semi-annual Magic Castle Swap Meet! Mike's bringing along the camera, so there'll be lots of photos to post, and of course, we'll let you know of all the happenings while we were there. Don't forget, if you have the chance to attend, it is next Saturday, October 14th (which is also Mike's birthday).

On the home front, Max was excited to be able to participate in the Fair with his part in the Blade Box Illusion. However, when he began rehearsing, he found he was too tall to fit inside the box. Not that he didn't give it the ol' college try; he really wanted to do this. It killed him to have to give up the opportunity and offer it to someone else more... small.

Just got this email from Paul Stone about an upcoming event he's been advertising in all the magazines. If you're a professional entertainer, we highly recommend this event to you, and as a special bonus, if you decide to sign up and mention Hocus Pocus, you'll receive a $50.00 discount on your registration fee for the event.



The Magic Round Table Forums have been growing exponentially since we first announced its return. We've added such notables as Marc deSouza, John Mendoza, Peter Loughran, and even the Magic Broadcast! We encourage your participation simply by clicking on the link below:

http://www.hpmagic.com

HOT BUTTON, HOT DEALS! This is a new feature of the web site located on the front page, and it is dedicated to major deals every week on many new and exciting products! For example, this week we showcase The Black Widow and That Bottle Production at a vastly reduced price. Every week there'll be something new as the items will change, so do yourself a favor and check it out every week as the prices are good for only that amount of time.

Spoke to Robert Baxt again yesterday, and he and Ballantine still plan on visiting to play the horses at the big Fresno Fair. They plan on showing up on Wednesday or Thursday, and then we'll all caravan down to Southern California for the Magic Castle Swap Meet. It will be great having lunch with them at Musso & Frank's along with the likes of Joe Porper, Pete Biro, Gerald and Chuck Kirchner, Doug Malloy, Rick Burr, Los Angeles radio personality Shotgun Tom Kelly, Glenn Farrington and his wife, Mike and his girlfriend Julie, and of course, my wife and me. Who knows who else will show up; this luncheon gets bigger and bigger every year, and everyone has a blast!

It's been extremely cold here as the weather was 56 degrees and foggy this morning. We're starting to switch to sweats and jeans and putting the short sleeve shirts and shorts in the drawers. I absolutely love this time of year and relish it because it never lasts long, although the cool weather is a welcomed change.

Before I go, don't forget to check out the web site as a ton of new products have hit the shelves this week, and they are certainly exciting. Do yourself a favor and watch the video of the late Billy McComb performing his Half Dyed Hank routine at the Magic Castle HERE!

So there you have it! Another exciting week at Hocus Pocus and another exciting week to come! I hope you and your family have a safe and fun-filled weekend.

Until next time,

Paul

Like a Phoenix...

Resurrected from the ashes, the Hocus Pocus Round Table forums have returned with a vengeance! If you haven't already taken the time to visit, please do so now, sign up, and contribute to the boards by clicking the banner below:



With already over 3,000 hits in less than 1 week, we're extremely excited about this project, now that key members are in place to help moderate and contribute. People like Bill Abbott, Chance Wolf, Bill Palmer, Robert Baxt, John Mendoza, and others with whom we are in negotiations. This board will be different from all others as we will strive to help promote and help the magic community grow and learn. We appreciate any comments and suggestions, and if there's a particular topic or forum you'd like to see, let us know on the boards. It's with your help and suggestions, these forums will grow ever stronger! Since the boards will keep me very busy, I'll still be updating the blog, albeit less frequently and with some modicum of regularity.



There's been lots of excitement around here this week as we've gained a number of Hocus Pocus Exclusives. You'll definitely want to check out the two newest products from England's Wayne Dobson called $wop and Lucky Dip. Both were huge hits at the recent FISM convention in Sweden and are now sweeping the nation! The other item we're extremely excited about obtaining the exclusive on is Mike Caldwell's Perfect Choice. Check it out on our web site. You'll be glad you did!





The big Fresno Fair arrives on the fourth of October, and the entire town will be attending at some point. My good friend, Tom Jorgenson, will be in town performing at the fair, and he has promised to stop by Hocus Pocus as well. My son, Max, will be working with Tom during the fourteen day fair run as his assistant in the Blade Box Illusion. It's 5-7 shows per day, every day, and the pay isn't too bad either. Max is going to put the money in the bank as he's saving up his money to buy a car. My guess is by the end of this run, he'll be sick of corn dogs and lemonade.



Speaking of the Fair, there's live horse racing every day as well as concerts from some of the music industry's most notables. In fact, Carl Ballantine and Robert Baxt will be here next week to take in the races themselves as well. Carl's a big fan of horse races, and we're excited to have him drive up to see our new location. I'll give you a report soon on Max's days during the fair, so stay tuned.

So there you have it: they'll be chatting on the forums, new products galore, and events to come (I keep thinking about Carl and the horses and my son in the boxes). Oh, what great things we'll have to discuss next week. In the meantime, have a fantastic weekend. I know I will...

Until next time,

Paul

As the Week Ends...

How can it be Friday already? This week has flown by at supersonic speed! The weather has gradually cooled down from the 90s to the 80s, and the nights couldn't be more comfortable with lows reaching the high 40s and low 50s. I guess Fall is officially here!

Tony Blanco is strapping on his tool belt as he begins construction on our new stage here in the building. This new stage will enable us to begin the Lecture Series again and allow local performers to practice their stage shows when they're here. It will also facilitate Tony's magic lessons which have become a huge success! He's on his second session with older children and adults. We'll be posting here as the Lecture Series begins anew with upcoming lecturers, entertainers, and events if you wish to participate.


Cirque du Soleil

Speaking of Tony, this week Fresno hosted two performances of Cirque du Soleil. One of their performer is also a magician, and Tony helped him make several purchases here at Hocus Pocus! For his time and effort, Tony was given both entrance and backstage passes to the show! Tony was describing the goings on backstage and was even asked to do several magic tricks for the show's manager. This weekend, Fresno hosts Mickey's Magic Show, a Disney production featuring the illusions of Jim Steinmeyer. The guys from the show have been hanging out at the store. It's been a really good time. If either of these shows come to your hometown, I highly recommend you go see them.


Mickey's Magic Show

Mike has been working diligently resurrecting and remodeling the Hocus Pocus Round Table chat board, which will go live within a week. Stay tuned to the front page of our web site for the big announcement and come ready to post, post, post! It is our contention to provide a positive and informative forum that will benefit the magic community, and we would love to have you be a part of it.

Last week, I told you that I would be seeing the Black Dahlia by Brian dePalma. Now, trust me; I'm no Siskel & Roeper, but I have to be honest and tell you that you should probably wait until it comes out on DVD before seeing it. I'm sorry to say it, but this one just didn't pan out for me. However, speaking of movies, I'll be taking my son, Max, to see Jackass 2 today. Can you see the excitement in my typing? I thought not. I'm sure I'll have a few chuckles, though. It will be a great father and son outing and then later, Betty will join us for dinner.

Tomorrow night, we celebrate my mother's 74th birthday and all my family will be there. Even Cole's making the trip from college to help in the festivities. It will be great to have everyone all together once again, if even for a little while...

With the Fall season rapidly approaching, lots of new products are arriving every day. So much so that I can't even keep up with it, and it's just begun; wait until you see the Fall lineup we have for you. It will be better than anything network programming has to offer...

So, as you can see, there's been a lot happening this week, which probably explains the speed in which it's passed. I can't wait until next week. Have a great weekend, do something you enjoy, and don't forget your family.

Until next time,

Paul

76 Cool Degrees...

And just like that, almost overnight, we went from a sweltering 102 degrees Wednesday to a cool 76 degrees today! The girls in the warehouse are wearing sweaters today, that's how cool it is. Let's keep our fingers crossed in that it really is the beginning of Fall here in Central California!

Mike wanted me to remind everyone that this Tuesday will be the final day to submit your Most Embarrassing Moment to the Mike on the Mic Show on Magic Broadcast. The winners (there will be 2 this time) will receive a Bowling Pin Production by Michael Mode and some super cool videos and DVDs. You can email your submission to Mike directly at mike@magicbroadcast.com. The winners will also be announced this Tuesday evening at 8:15 PM PST. Check out the show at Magic Broadcast!



Mike and I will be taking our semi-annual trip to the Magic Castle in a little less than a month, October 14th, the final Magic Castle Swap Meet of the year. It is also Mike's birthday that day, so I'm certain he'll be in hog heaven. We always have a great time when we go the day before, when we go to our traditional Musso & Frank's lunch. Everyone will be there, including Chuck and Gerald Kirchner from Magic City, Doug Malloy, Joe Porper, Pete Biro, Robert Baxt, Carl Ballantine, and new guest this year, Glen Farrington, and who knows who else will show up? If you're planning to go to the Swap Meet this year, make sure you stop me while I'm running around to say hello. If you've never been to the Magic Castle Swap Meet, you really should go; it's a great time to see a ton of things, both new and vintage, and meet new people in a great atmosphere.



Congratulations to Stan Allen and MAGIC Magazine, who celebrate their 15th year in publication! Stan continues to produce the finest magic magazine on the planet. His attention to quality, detail, and layout continues to be unsurpassed!

Joe Porper does it again with his take on the classic Ellis Ring by creating one of the coolest magic props that can be worn with you at all times: the Wedding Band Ellis Ring! Joe took a few of these to the recent FISM Convention in Sweden and sold out immediately! Just to tell you how good they are, Joe didn't even have printed instructions ready at the time; he was just showing demonstrations and sold them all on the spot! If you are looking for a truly impromptu miracle, check out Joe Porpers Wedding Band Ellis Ring!

Betty and I saw the new movie, Hollywoodland, last week, and I have to say that we both give it two thumbtips up! If you haven't seen it, it's well worth your time checking it out. That's two movies in two weeks: The Illusionist and Hollywoodland, and both were great! Tonight, we'll be seeing The Black Dahlia. I'll be sure to give you my movie review for that next week.

The cool weather here reminds me so much of Fall, which is my favorite time of year. We should start thinking about Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas, because, before you know it, I'll be writing about it! Thanks for checking in this week. Relax, enjoy your family, and see a good movie while you're at it.

Until next time,

Paul

The Week After

First of all, thank you so much for all your nice emails, phone calls, and especially those who sang happy birthday to me on the answering machine. I also want to thank Mike for taking over the blog last week during my short 5-day vacation. No one could believe I actually took that many days off in a row. In fact, I found it hard to believe myself, now that I think about it... I spent the time off with my family: we had dinner together; Betty and I caught the film, "The Illusionist," which I highly recommend if you haven't already seen it. Also, before the movie, we caught the preview of the other magic related movie coming out, "The Prestige" with Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale. This looks exciting and I can't wait until its release! My daughters gave me a new book on Frank Sinatra, one of my favorite singers. From the rest of my family, I got a new Koi for the Koi pond and other goodies too many to mention. All in all, it was a fantastic birthday celebration. Thanks again, everyone!



This week has been very busy as we've been receiving lots of effects, one of which is the award-winning FISM effect from Henry Evans entitled "Find the Way." When Marc DeSouza returned from the convention in Sweden, he told me that this was a must-have, and I can see why! We are very excited to be able to offer a limited supply to you, our Hocus Pocus fans! If you have a moment, check it out on the website here and check out the new online video as well!



This just in! We're very excited to be able to carry the David & Dania line of quick-change products. Their first offering is the David & Dania Top Hat & Color Changing Gloves, a fantastic and unique color change straight out of their award-winning act! Stay tuned as we'll be offering more of their products as they become available.



Also, Lee Alex's Color Changing Vest has been flying off the shelves. It is definitely one of the hottest-selling items we've ever offered, and I cannot believe the quality that went into making these! Costume Change effects are HOT, thanks to David & Dania. Adding something like this definitely sets your act apart from your competition. It really is a small investment that delivers a very large return! Check this out as well as other color-changing effects we have to offer.

Cole is all settled into College and doing well. We know this because we rarely hear from him anymore. I'm sure his schedule is just as busy as mine, if not more so, with all the reading, writing, and homework that gets piled on!

Speaking of school, Max is now in his third week of high school! The first week took some adjustment for him, but he's in the swing of things now. He's excited because the last class of the day is P.E., and right now, they're swimming, one of his favorite things to do.

My oldest daughter, Rene, is enjoying her new management position with Gottschalks department stores. She's all settled into her new apartment, and she was telling me the other night how Gottschalks is getting ready to set up camp for Christmas the end of this month. Man, it seems like the stores are doing this earlier and earlier every year, doesn't it?

My younger daughter, Amy, continues to study hard as she nears her final year in college. Where has all the time gone??? I can still remember them all in diapers like it was yesterday.

We're very excited about a special offer here at Hocus Pocus. On your next order, upon request, you will receive 2 free DVD demos of various effects available at Hocus Pocus. This is part of a new program we're starting, and we will continue to update and offer new DVDs as time goes on. They're absolutely free, and all you have to do is request one on your next order. It's like having your own visual catalog you can watch over and over again!


Bill Palmer with his Cups & Balls display at TAOM

I just got off the phone with Bill Palmer, who was very excited about his History of the Cups & Balls lecture at the most recent TAOM Convention in Texas. For those of you who don't know, Bill is THE authoritarian on Cups and Balls and owns just about every version ever made! Bill sent the above photo showcasing just a small sampling of his collection on display! Thanks, Bill!

So there you have it. Never a dull moment here at Hocus Pocus. This place is where the action is, that's for sure! I think I'll take off a little early this afternoon as Betty and I will try to catch the new movie, "Hollywoodland." Have yourself a fantastic weekend.

Until next time,

Paul

Happy 51!

Happy Birthday, Paul!

It's me, Mike Giusti, overtaking the blog as Paul takes some time off to celebrate his birthday. On behalf of all the employees at Hocus Pocus, I want to take a moment and wish Paul a happy 51st birthday! Thank you all who sent birthday emails and phone messages this morning as well. Hopefully, he's resting and relaxing, which is somewhat alien to Paul.



Starting Tuesday night at 8:15 PM, I'll be taking phone and email submissions for the Most Embarrassing Moments Contest, a semi-annual contest I run on the Magic Broadcast. The winners (we will be choosing 2 this year) will receive a Bowling Pin Production by Michael Mode and various videos and DVDs, thanks to Hocus Pocus and Magic City! Simply tune in and participate by submitting your Most Embarrassing Moment while performing for friends, family, clients, etc. in email form to mike@magicbroadcast.com or call in toll-free at 888-851-1534. You can enter as often as you like with more than one embarrassing moment, and the winners will be announced live on the air Tuesday, September 19th on the Mike on the Mic radio program! See you there!

I've been working feverishly (my temperature averages 103 degrees on a daily basis here) on putting up hot, new products on the web site. Just in the last two days, you may have noticed a slew of unique magic offerings from Hocus Pocus. And there's more to come so stay tuned to the website for more updates!

Have yourself a wonderful Labor Day Weekend, and we'll see you next week!

Mike

College or Bust!

A view of St. Mary's campus

I'm writing the blog one day early this week because this afternoon, Betty and I are following my eldest son, Cole, to his new home at St. Mary's. His car is packed from stem to stern with all the things he'll need for the following semester. He moves in to his dorm tomorrow morning and is very excited to start this new chapter in his life. It's a beautiful campus and both Betty and I know he'll thrive in his new environment. No one is a stranger to Cole; he's got a great personality and is one of the most down-to-earth people I know! After we get Cole moved in tomorrow, Betty and I will drive to San Francisco where we'll spend the night and eat at our favorite restaurant, Scoma's.

As mentioned in last week's blog, hot new products from the recent F.I.S.M. convention have begun to hit our web site. The Kikuchi line of metal bending products is outstanding and is well worth your consideration. Also added is Lior Manor's Knight's Tour, a software-based version of this effect that is totally customizable for your presentations whether you work trade shows, stage, or parlor shows. This will pay for itself many times over.

Tony Blanco began his magic classes last week, and the phones are still ringing with requests for the next session, for which he is signing folks up. If you live in the area and are interested in learning magic from a real pro, contact us at 800-407-4040!



In other exciting news, because of Dexter's close relationship with Johnny and Pam Thompson, we are working on finalizing a date for Johnny and Pam to come and do a lecture here at Hocus Pocus! As many of you know, Johnny is not only a comedy and stage performer, he's also one of the finest close-up performers you'll ever see. A true well-rounded performer that you'll not want to miss! As soon as the dates are firmed up, watch the front page of the web site for a special banner to appear with the dates and ways for you to come and see a true legend of magic!

Things are shaping up on the chat board, the Round Table, and hopefully things will be up and running in the coming weeks. We thank all of you for emailing and contacting us with interest in becoming moderators and your enthusiasm for wanting to become a vital part of the boards. We're looking forward to bringing you something new and different than from what's out there right now. Our goal is to provide you useful and positive information to help better the brotherhood of magic.

It's getting busier and busier here as Summer comes to an end. The kids are going back to school and the holidays will soon be upon us. Don't forget, Halloween will be the first holiday of the Fall Season. Start your planning now and don't forget that by adding one or two seasonal effects to your repertoire, it makes your act more topical and more marketable.

I guess that's it for now. Time to hit the road. As always, thanks for taking time to read the blog, and I always appreciate the kind notes you send me.

Until next time,

Paul