|
|
Go to page [Previous] 1~2~3~4 [Next] | ||||||||||
magicgettogether Special user Michigan 556 Posts |
My first trip to Tannens was in 1987, I bought an Anverdi surprise box. I remember how cool it was when the elevators opened and there was a magic shop. The dealers were friendly, but I did not recognize any of them. When I got back to my car, my parking bill was almost as much as the trick. But why would I care, I had my surprise box.
|
|||||||||
Vincent Loyal user New York Metro Area 270 Posts |
Snushy,
I Remember Senor Mardo Very Well. I First Met Him At 1540 Broadway, I Guess I Was In My Early Twenties. He Came Up To Me And Asked Me If I Had Ever Seen This Bandana And Safety Pin. I Told Him That I Had Not And He Proceeded To Freak Me Out For The Next Ten Minutes By Making The Safety Pin Rip Through The Blue Bandana And Yet There Was Never Any Damage. This Of Course Seemed Impossible As I Heard The Tearing Sound And "Saw" What I Thought To Be The Damage To The Blue Bandana. After That I Would Look For Him At Every Visit. He Was Older But What Did I Know. I Thought Everyone Over Forty Was Ancient. He Sold Me A Set Of Aluminum Cups Once That I Still Have. He Said That He Used That Style Of Cup Always. They Look Like P&L Cups But Are Not Hallmarked. I Still Have Them And Every Once And A While Take Them Out Of One Of My Trunks Just To Look At Them. Of Course Whenever I Do That All The Old Memories Of 1540 Broadway And Senor Mardo Come Flooding Back. For Some Reason He Reminded Me Of Slydini In A Way And At One Time Thought They Must Be Related. I'm Almost Sure They Were Not. I Remember 120 West 42nd Street Also, The Wurlitzer Building. But I Was Very Young Then So The Memories Are Not As Vivid With The Exception Of That First Trip When My World Turned Upside Down. But That's A Story For Another Day. Thanks For Letting Me Rant On. Best, Vincent |
|||||||||
Eddie Garland Inner circle Hells Kitchen, New York City 4207 Posts |
First memory of Tannen's was a trip to NYC in 74. Tony Spina strongly suggests I go see a young Doug Henning in a Stephen Schwartz musical. Doug Henning? Who is that?
I bought tickets to the Magic Show. Wow! I also bought a balsa wood dancing cane. In 88 I was performing in the official revival of Godspell off Broadway at the Lambs Club, actually working with Stephen Schwartz and Paul Shaffer. I performed the dancing cane every night of the show. I often thanked Tony because I believed the cane had got me the gig. The theater maintained an account with Tannens...we destroyed a great deal of those lethal old metal appearing canes every week or two and we used hundreds of mouth coils. I got to shop for the show at Tannen's with the theaters money, great fun! The older Tannen shops were indeed dreamy spots. |
|||||||||
alannasser Loyal user 213 Posts |
Just want to add a couple of things to my post from a while back on this thread. I do agree with the guy who wrote that just about the only place you can get that old Tannen's feel of guys behind the counter who really cared about magic and mentoring serious kids is Denny and Lee.
And the old trick I first saw at Tannen's that I am still looking for is not called Glass Gone, as I mistakenly wrote earlier, but rather The Crash Glass Vanish. If you know where I can get one, please let me know. Thanks. Alan |
|||||||||
spencerpeterson Regular user New York City 186 Posts |
I go to Tannen's because Doug Mckenzie goes once in a while, and he's SOOOOO dreamy.....
|
|||||||||
NicholasD Inner circle 1458 Posts |
My first and only trip to Tannen's was in 1975. What an experience! I was lucky enough to go with Harvey Rosenthal, who introduced me to those who were there, and what a line-up. I met Sol Stone, Lenny Greenfader, Bill Broderson, Darwin Ortiz and Gerald Deutch. I was fresh meat, so they showed off for me.
On the way home we visited Karl Fulves in New Jersey. Seems like yesterday. |
|||||||||
daver Elite user Jupiter, FL 436 Posts |
I too grew up going to Tannen's most weekend, and had the good fortune to meet Coperfield, Lorayne, Garcia, Henning, Roth and others. Irv and Tony were great; no one was too big or too small for them to devote some time. It was (IMHO, the 1540 Broadway location, after the fire) one of the last remaining old world feel shops.
Unfortunately, as with most other things, magic shops have become more about money than the art, and what sells best through what means (instant downloads, web sites etc) rather than that old romantic-feel hands-on, generation-to-generation magic teaching. Some of the best memories of my youth occurred on the 17th floor of 1540 Broadway.
Dave
What's the difference between a magician and a deck of cards? A deck of cards has FOUR suits... |
|||||||||
Lou Deeny New user 4 Posts |
I would order from Tannen's catalog when I was a young teen in the 70's in New Jersey and when I had kids of my own, my son (who was on broadway at the time in "the Sound of Music" 1998)became interested in Magic. Because we spent so much time in the city and he had free time between shows, we would spend it at Tannen's on 25th (yes, with that wonderful elevator). The first time we went we met Bob Elliott who amazed us with coins and took the time to teach my son the glide...it was awesome! He and Tony Spina suggested Tannen's camp for my son which he attended and loved.
My interest in Magic was renewed and his was cemented forever. We later got to meet many other great Magicians such as Ken Krenzel, Doug Edwards, Sol Stone and so many others. We became weekly regulars at Tannen's and Ruben's fabulous back room. Not many things have come close to those experiences since. Truly Magic. |
|||||||||
oneon New user 3 Posts |
I was fortunate. As a boy I spent every weekend in NYC. First stop was Flosso's I'd spend the morning there sat around the shop and listen to Al for hours talk about magic, the past and entertainment in general.
Then I would walk over to 1540 Broadway and hang at Tannens. It was so special...I spent so much time there I saw them all...Copperfield...damn we hung together and became fast friends 9we are the same age). Slydini? yep... how about watching Slydini 5 feet away...AND THE BEST Dai Vernon only got to see him once but once was enough! At around 2PM I think we would all pile into the the back of goveners Caféteria on Broadway... what a great Childhood...I didn't know what was right in front of me...but have the greatest memories. If anyone is looking for Tony Spina you can find him on facebook...and his web page is here he is apparently out of retirement. http://tonyspinamagic.com/ |
|||||||||
Jonathan_Miller Loyal user CT 211 Posts |
I'm too young to remember the old Tannen's but I started hanging out there right at the end when Tony Spina was still there but was getting ready to leave. They were on 25th Street at the time and I loved it there. Saturday mornings the place would still get packed before people would go over to Reuben's and later to Café Rustico. And Magick was working behind the counter. He is still the best demonstrator I've ever seen and I bought things I didn't want just because he did such an excellent job with it. Tannen's was always a fun time for me even on the dull days.
Today Tannen's is a depressing place to visit. I try to visit every once in awhile and buy something if for no other reason than I like Steve Brown and he used to let me hang out there. Unfortunately the staff now are for the most part unknowledgable and uninteresting. I went in a few Saturdays ago and saw some younger kid working on the most godawful pass I have ever seen. They asked if they could help me but I thought to myself "not even if you actually wanted to." I also remember the Jubilee's and they were such fun. Its a shame they are gone now. Fantasma has definitely replaced Tannen's as the magic shop to visit in the city. |
|||||||||
obsidian52 Veteran user United States 372 Posts |
Yes, thanks for all the cool memories. I recently visited Tannen's and was extremely disappointed, little did I know that Fantasma existed. But I do remember meeting Henning and Roth and Ballantine and of course Tony Spina and Frank Garcia and even a few balloon men. But I guess we grow older (who me? I hear you all lament) and the memories of old are often not what they are today. Who ever said that change is a good thing?
|
|||||||||
chrusa Special user Connecticut 736 Posts |
I see this thread is titles memories and I was wondering if they are still there cause I would like to go and seee the shop
Thanks,
<BR> <BR>Chris Hrusa |
|||||||||
optimystik New user 84 Posts |
Quote:
On 2004-07-20 16:54, stephenbanning wrote: WOW! this is not the Frank Garcia I met when visiting Tannen's in 1978. Going to Tannen's was really a special treat. In those days someone like Frank Garcia was a real celebrity to me. When I met him he was friendly and fun ...demonstrated some stuff. I gave him my mailing address and was I surprised/shocked when a few days later I received a big package in the mail with THREE different 8 X 10 photos personally autographed to ME. I never dreamed a busy pro would follow up in such a way on a meeting with "just a kid"....truly inspiring. Also met Bob McAllister there...a real dream come true ( I was a HUGE wonderama fan). I used to carry around the Tannens catalogue 24/7 like a Bible. My Tannens catalogue is autographed by Hank Aaron....why?....I happened to run into him and that is all I was carrying at the time..I know...CRAZY. Once, late 70's, on my way to Tannens (across the street on Broadway) a limousine pulls up to the curb next to me and out comes Larry Flynt in wheelchair with several secret service type body guards ( he had recently survived a murder attempt which left him paralyzed.) I visited the 34th st store several years ago...but did not have the real magic of those good ol days......perhaps its just that I'm getting old...but the times I visite Tannens back in the 70's it was true magic. Stephen Christopher |
|||||||||
mumford Special user 652 Posts |
When I visited Tannens several times in the early seventies it was great. I met Garcia, and Peter Pan - Shari Lewis' dad, and Slydini had just moved out there again from gthe West Coast - as always he was amazing and at Tannens I some veryy skilled teenagers like David Roth and Geof Latta.
|
|||||||||
Jamie_H New user Louisiana 65 Posts |
These are great stories!
|
|||||||||
jondark445 Special user 716 Posts |
I was traveling from Philly to Massachusetts and visited an old friend (he's 72) who recalled going to Tannen's when he was a boy. He lived in Brooklyn and his father would take him there.
I was passing through Manhattan and hadn't been to Tannens in some time. A few years ago when my son was born we bought him a Charlie McCarthy vent figure from an online dealer. I thought I'd swing by Tannens and see if they had one. Sadly, as I'm sure many of you know, it's not what it used to be. When I walked in the two sales people there couldn't have cared that I was even there...even though I was the only one in the store. Finally one of them asked if I was looking for something or just browsing. I wanted to browse but did ask directly for the Charlie McCarthy vent figure. "Nobody even knows who Charlie McCarthy is. Even if they still made it we wouldn't carry it." A sad state of affairs. --JD |
|||||||||
jondark445 Special user 716 Posts |
OMG I don't believe it...this is the same thread where I complained about Tannens four years ago...the last time I was there.....ugh.
--JD |
|||||||||
Mark F Regular user 145 Posts |
Not sure if these eBay auctions belong to someone here but there are two listings with nice photos of the interior of Tannen's:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Early-LOUIS-TANNEN-M......86425826 http://cgi.ebay.com/Snapshot-Photographs......13636043 |
|||||||||
Stmarkus Regular user Puerto Rico 131 Posts |
What can I say about Tannens.....The one I first visited was at 1540 Bway....But I spent most of my "hanging out days" at the location on 25th street...Tony Spina's place....Watching Magick, and Polaris demonstrate their wares.....Meeting Jeff Sheridan....Bobby Baxter....Earl "Presto" Johnson...Doug Edwards....Herb Zarrow... Great memories....!!
|
|||||||||
Mal3 New user UK 79 Posts |
Will be visiting for the first time in December when I go to the US.
|
|||||||||
The Magic Cafe Forum Index » » Flavors from the past... » » Tannen's Magic Shop in New York memories (1 Likes) | ||||||||||
Go to page [Previous] 1~2~3~4 [Next] |
[ Top of Page ] |
All content & postings Copyright © 2001-2024 Steve Brooks. All Rights Reserved. This page was created in 0.04 seconds requiring 5 database queries. |
The views and comments expressed on The Magic Café are not necessarily those of The Magic Café, Steve Brooks, or Steve Brooks Magic. > Privacy Statement < |