927: Larry Kahlow - Preserving History

Larry Kahlow carries on the tradition of owning and managing a brick and mortar magic shop. And the Eagle Magic Shop in Minneapolis, Minnesota, is not just a magic shop. It is the oldest, longest running magic shop still operating in the United States.

Larry shares the history of the Eagle Magic Shop from it’s founding by Collins Rice Pentz to its current owner, Larry. Along the way there have been many known, well-known and unknown magicians who have darkened their doors including the famous escape artist himself, Harry Houdini. Larry shares stories passed down to him along with his own stories that now live through him. If you are interested in magic history and particularly the “life of a brick-and-mortar magic shop,” then you will love this episode.

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802: Dick Stoner - Trade Show Pioneer

At 93 years of age, Dick Stoner was a pioneer in performing magic at trade shows and a magic shop owner since the 1940’s. It is because of people like Dick that other magicians have been successful trade show performers. Certainly many of us are figuratively standing on his shoulders. But not only that, Dick has owned and operated Stoners Funstore in Fort Wayne, Indiana, since 1949. There are few brick and mortar shops that have been around that long.

While attending the 2023 Abbott’s Get Together, I had the chance to sit down with Dick Stoner to record this week’s chat. He attends this convention somewhat regularly, but doesn’t stay more than a day, so it was hard to catch him. In this episode we chat about his magic store as well as his career as a trade show magician. He also reminisces about some of those with whom he worked like Johnny Thompson, Eddie Tullock Bud Dietrich and other trade show titans.

Download this podcast in an MP3 file by Clicking Here and then right click to save the file. You can also subscribe to the RSS feed by Clicking Here. You can download or listen to the podcast through Stitcher by Clicking Here or through FeedPress by Clicking Here or through Tunein.com by Clicking Here or through iHeart Radio by Clicking Here..If you have a Spotify account, then you can also hear us through that app, too. You can also listen through your Amazon Alexa and Google Home devices. Remember, you can download it through the iTunes store, too. See the preview page by Clicking Here

438: Andy Dallas - Escaping From The Ordinary

Andy Dallas is an interesting character whom many of you should know as a Past President of the Society of American Magicians (2006-2007) but he is also a world renown hypnotist, lecturer, and escape artist. In his early career, Andy performed the "usual" escapes from chains, handcuffs, locked trunks, upside down straight jackets, manacles and more. But he also escaped from many unique, creative and original escapes including his "Triple Death Trap"

Andy is also known as a collector of carnival con games that you can't win and old, mechanical pinball/pachinko games. But in recent years he is best known as the owner and proprietor of the Dallas & Co. Costumes & Magic in Champaign, Illinois. And for my money, he has the best handling and presentation of the iconic "Zombie" ball of anyone in the world.

Owner of Dallas & Co., Andy Dallas balances magic acts and his Halloween and magic store. He conjures up his colorful past as an escape artist.

Time stamps for this podcast:

00:08:31 - Andy Dallas talks about his career as an escape artist, his brick and mortar magic shop and his unique collection of carnival con games..

01:15:49 - Product Review: Box Office by Jeremy Marouani - a prediction effect from 100 movie titles attractively displayed on ten different post card sized cards. Recommended with reservation.

01:21:22 - Product Review: Klik by Agus Tjui - using your phone or a spectator's phone to take a picture of a "wrong" card is shown to be the correctly selected card when viewed on the phone. Recommended.

01:25:45: - Unbound by Darryl Davis = a gimmickless, impromptu version of the Invisible Deck using a shuffled deck in play that can be yours or a borrowed deck. Sleights are required so not a beginner trick, but very effective and clever. Recommended.

Download this podcast in an MP3 file by Clicking Here and then right click to save the file. You can also subscribe to the RSS feed by Clicking Here. You can download or listen to the podcast through Stitcher by Clicking Here or through FeedPress by Clicking Here or through Tunein.com by Clicking Here or through iHeart Radio by Clicking Here.. Remember, you can download it through the iTunes store, too. See the preview page by Clicking Here

927: Larry Kahlow - Preserving History

802: Dick Stoner - Trade Show Pioneer

438: Andy Dallas - Escaping From The Ordinary

The Magic Word