Whenever anyone asks me how I got started in magic, my mind always wanders back to Fisherman's Wharf in the early 70's. My parents took us on a family vacation one year and we stumbled across this little magic shop right next to Ripley's Believe It or Not! wax museum. I was mesmerized by the guys behind the counter, demonstrating miracle after miracle. My dad saw how interested I was and agreed to buy a couple of beginner effects.

We contintued to visit San Francisco on a regular basis since we also had relatives in the Bay area. Every time I visited, I just had to go to that shop on Fisherman's Wharf. Then one year I visited and the shop wasn't there anymore.

Although the shop has long since gone, the memories live on.

Kent

Hi Kent,
I remember the shop very well, a friend of mine used to work there and I purchased diminishing cards from the shop.There was also a magic shop on Pier 39 which I understand was co-owned by Charles Schultz ( creator of Snoopy etc. ). There are still 2 magic shops in San Francisco, House of Magic & Misdirections magic shop.I have for some unknown reason never been to Misdirections, but did visit House of Magic when it was owned by Marvin "Buma" Burger, I believe his son has taken the helm now.Still have magic in S.F.
Rennie

Ah yes, I almost forgot about the Pier 39 magic shop! It was a little hard to find and not quite as big as the one on the main strip, but I did purchase quite a few items from there as well.

I appreciate why a magician would want to name a magic shop Misdirections, but in San Francisco, the connotation in the name can be misinterpreted. Next time I'm in S.F., I'll have to make a point to visit both shops and get to know the people behind the counter.

Cheers!
Kent

When I first moved here to the Bay Area, there was a shop owned By Steve Dawson.
It was a very friendly shop to just go and hang out at. Steve Dawson was a very knowledgeable magic dealer who was also very helpful when it came to fine tuning whatever magic you were working on at the time

Scott

Scott,
Steve Dawson is a very good friend of mine his shop was called The Magic Touch, he actually had 2 at one time, one was in San Jose and the other in Milpitas. Steve had given me the reamainder of the items from his shop to sell a few years back and I still have some items.If you are into nostalgia I can give you a few items with Steve's name on then that he made up for sale in the shop.
Steve was / is a super guy and I visited his shop often and spent a fair amount of money there.
Rennie

Does anyone know how to get in touch with Steve Dawson, whose shop was The Magic Touch? I lost touch with him when I moved from the Bay Area to the Boston Area. Thanks, waynehaase@comcast.net .

There was also a shop in Los Gatos on Main Street where I bought Tenyo's, Squeeze Play- The Ghastly Gallimaufry

Owned by Billie and Reece until they passed away. They had a back room with a tiny stage where I saw many great magicians lecture in the 80s.

There was also another Ghastly Gallimaufry in Capitola, CA. Magician Steve Blencoe worked at both shops.