talkmagic.co.uk

Yes indeed Durto it was Le Spectram.... so I guess it doesn't get any better if you become a repeat customer. I will definately visit the store on Van Horne in the near future. From what I hear here and from others, it's a nice place. I'll let you know as soon as I go!

Thanks Wukfit for the name and address.... I only knew that there was a store somewhere on Van Horne!

Woah! A real blessing! I tought there wasn't any other magic shop in Montreal! You made my day pal ! (And no, trust me, it doesn't get any better if your a steady customer! )

Glad I could help.. Its a bit hard to find as its upstairs above some shops but if I found it as a tourist I'm sure you will, one other thing check the website for opening hours i seem to remember its closed at weekends.

Perfect Magic is a bit hit or miss. I have gone in there and the owner was as grumpy as hell. On another day I have gone in and he was as friendly as pie. I didn't spend much money on either day so that couldn't be it.

By and large magic shop owners are as miserable as sin. I have always said that anyone who sells fun is inclined to great bouts of grumpiness. I know exactly why too. It is the customers themselves who drive them insane.

I well remember Herb Morrissey and the way he would turn to his side and look away from idiotic customers that he had to put up with. Jeff Pinsky of the Browsers Den in Toronto I know personally and he puts up a great act of affability and all the customers think that he loves them dearly. I think he deserves an Oscar. I have seen him smiling at customers in a most friendly manner and when he turns his back to get something off a shelf he rolls his eyes to the sky in exasperation.

I have sometimes seen him explode on rare occasions and tell some of his more idiotic customers to get out of the shop and this gives me great and wondrous glee even though he feels badly about it afterwords.

My most amusing memory is when he caught a young man stealing an expensive book and sneaking it into his bag and walking out of the shop with it. He went after him outside the shop and asked for it back.

He didn't call the police and told the kid that he was welcome back in the shop anytime. I asked him why the leniency and he amused me greatly by saying "well -he's a good customer!"

The grumpiest and most obnoxious magical shopkeeper I have ever met is Alan Alan who has now retired. He used to snarl at people who came into his shop and they would storm out. My favourite is when he would glare at customers he didn't like and snarl "have you come in for shelter?" when they wouldn't spend anything.

Davenports told me they did loads of business from people that Alan insulted because they would storm out of his shop and go down the street to Davenport's to vent their anger and spend money there instead.

Alan did something right though. I understand he became very wealthy from that shop which he has now retired from.

I myself am like the devil incarnate when I am selling svengali decks. Rude as hell and I genuinely hate the public. Yet the more I insult them the more they buy. Go figure.

I have never found this to be a huge problem, but I can see why many shops do this, but if you show knowladge of magic and indeed are spending money with them they should show good faith. If I bought a "piece of 5h1t" trick after I had asked about it in the shop I would not be too pleased, and might not return to the shop.

leighton wrote:I have never found this to be a huge problem, but I can see why many shops do this, but if you show knowladge of magic and indeed are spending money with them they should show good faith. If I bought a "piece of 5h1t" trick after I had asked about it in the shop I would not be too pleased, and might not return to the shop.

Thats why I would never shop at International magic anymore...

ive had mixed experiances with the magic shop thing...
i went to one years ago just for fun to pick up something stupid to play with so i walked up the guy and asked him to amaze me.. to which he demontrated the "de-lite" i never got very good at but pull out a lazer pointer in one hand and it drives my dog nuts...he cant figure it out how the hell that works... hours of fun i tell you..but it was a case of buy i t first and i teach he would teach you how to do it... great dog toy

the store ive gone to lately thinks isnt to bad . and bizarrely enough the guy that was working was very accomodating. as i was inquiring about levetations and fire stuff. i just said to him "i dont expect you to tell me how it done per se, i just need to know how likely is it that after i buy all the stuff" that its going to work," i just needed to know how much pissing around with it i was getting myself into etc.. he was quite nice about it really. thats a rather large investment for me.. and dollars for them so the only other thing that i dont dig is that everything is so much cheaper on the internet so it depends on urgency...

mark lewis wrote:All magic dealers the world over are grumpy and miserable. Anyone that sells fun is. Even people who sell jokes look as miserable as sin.

Tradition you know.

hahaha thats very true



I have always bought over internet etc - online magic dealers.

I dont know whether i could handle being in a magic shop - unless i had a week to spare and lots of money.
Id be there all day!

Sometime the other year i visited Sheffield to meet some old mates.

Before i left Sheffield i visited the magic shop called Magick or something.

The owner was not very talkative with me, maybe its cause he didnt know me, they had a load of books and videos and DVDs that i never seen on a online magic dealer. So i spent some time looking thru all the stuff, see what was good etc.... While i was there i was watching him talking to some man, who ovbiously was a pro magician who had a gig that week and was getting some new tricks to do. The owner seemed really helpful with him, showing him tricks, advising what would be best for the type of audience he would be performing for.

He seemed helpful, in the end i bought my first ever set of cups n balls, a book ermmm about 10 decks some trick decks and a gimmick 10p coin.

Lol

Atleast the owner there is pretty helpful.

I stumbled upon this post by accident and feel the need to comment:

Magic dealers can be grumpy and I have had good and bad experiences around the UK. I have only visited a few magic shops and there are some that I would recommend to ANYONE!!
I do not want to post anything negative here so I will only concentrate on the GOOD!
House of Magic UK - Stourbridge:
John at the House of magic is FANTASTIC!! He will help out where ever possible and takes a real interest in both you as a customer and your style of magic! He will upsell products but only if he thinks they are right for you - and if it's something you think 'I must have 'he won't argue with you!! He is very supportive and will demonstrate where he can, he will also advise on other ways in which he uses the same trick/gaff/item when you have bought it!!
International Magic - London:
I went into the shop very 'green' and a bit uncertain. I had only been practising magic for a short time and had little to no idea of what I really wanted. I was served and assisted by a chap with long hair who was a bit 'off' but quite enthusiastic - it turned out he was Jerry Sadowitz (which I only found out months later!!) He was very straight with me and again listened to me - advising what he thought appropriate (surprisingly it was Int Magic stuff!) all of which I found useful and have built bits into my routines! He also went through a paddle routine with me which I found invaluable!
Kaymar - Nuneaton:
I have never been to the shop but the guys came to the Derby Magic Circle table top sale and auction. Again they were very pleasant and tried to help - knowing that good customer service brings in money! A word of warning for this one though - (!)call them if you want to go to the shop as the opening times are a bit erratic!

Anyway - I wanted to mention my GOOD experiences of magic shops and even though the interweb is great for purchasing I love the idea of being able to walk into a magic shop - just to see what's there - and fueling my poor CUPS habit!!

Andy

Totally agree with you on HOM - John has been of great help each and every time I've seen him. Nice product range too!

davenports are a very patient crowd i was in there the other day and some very strange woman was in there was trying to by a lighter for her daily fix. and she was asking so much stupid questions so i brought a bicycle pack and got the hell outta there going tomorrow tho so will bring some pepper spray

I shop regularly at Davenports and International Magic. Most of the time I've enjoyed shopping at both but I have experienced people being treated quite badly in both. At times it seems that if you can't walk in and go straight up to counter with a list of what you want then you're not welcome. Jerry Sadowitz in International Magic can treat people so badly that the room falls quiet.

why is it these people are so grumpy, they should be pleased that us magic folk wanna do business. i never go into international magic anymore as nothing is priced and you always have to ask and also get an unwelcome feeling there, but it may just be me and mean no disrespect to the store, im just keeping it real, had one bad experience at davenports and the guy was a ..... better not say but his not there anymore. alakazam for me are amazing tho, the best shopo for me anyday, keep up the good work peter nardi!!!!

The two magic shops I use (Davenports and International Magic) are amazing! They're friendly and very helpful! The perfect shopkeepers! Or magic shopkeepers anyway...