I must have been about eleven years old when it occurred to me to open a phone book and look for a magic shop. I remember asking my mom to take me and I remember it being a long drive. I don't remember her complaining.

Not in all the times she did it.

She drove me to magic shops and libraries to visit section 793.8. See took me to the Buffalo Zoo to see Rob and Carol Allen perform the Milk for Health Magic Show. She drove me to see David Copperfield, Harry Blackstone, and Doug Henning.

That first magic shop is gone - so are most phone books for that matter - but the result remains. I'm a magician and that's due in no small part to the efforts my mom made.

In the many years I ran a retail shop, displayed at conventions, and now produce the Real Magic Roadshows - I've seen many a mom bringing their sons and daughters through the doors. It's a different time - but moms are still making sure their kids connect with what's important to them. Magic shops, little league, scouts, music lessons - whatever calls out to a child - there's a mom making sure their child is there.

This weekend is Mother's Day. Thank your mom in whatever way you can. I know that's what I'll be doing on Sunday. In truth, she deserves a lot more than a single day.

But somehow I know she won't complain...

Twenty years is a pretty long time. By magic shop standards it's even longer. I was just 22 years old when I opened the doors - a kid really - and I never could have imagined what we've grown into. We live in a time when dealers seem to crop up everyday and are often gone in the blink of an eye. The last two decades have seen the loss of many reputable (and some not so reputable) dealers. It's not an easy road and making it twenty years doesn't guarantee that the next twenty will be any easier.

But it does mean this...

We've been fortunate enough to have customers who value what we offer - and see the difference between us and the latest fad dealer. Customers who appreciate that above all you need a dealer you can trust and rely on. We aren't perfect - but for twenty years we've tried to improve and grow sensibly. Not growth at any cost for the sake of being the biggest - but growth that is a result of reaching to being better.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, I'm a lucky guy - and I promise to do my best to keep earning your business and loyalty.

Thanks for an amazing twenty years!

It’s an inarguable fact: magicians love moving holes.

Magicians have moved thousands of holes on to, off of, and across playing cards. I’ve always been a fan of two versions of the plot from Jay Sankey – Hole Hop (for its speed and directness) and Target Practice (for its sheer cleverness). But I’m having a ball with this new approach from Marc Arthur and Kozmo Magic.

The primary routine is filled with lovely visual magic. I think the open way in which the “card dot” transforms into a real hole is powerful stuff. You can see it for yourself here. The hole jumping on to the entire deck is pretty shocking and it’s sure to generate some strong audience reaction. The selected card can change in each performance and Arthur covers several alternate handlings so you’ll have plenty of room to make this effect your own. If you do strolling or restaurant work the reset is fast and you can easily leave off the production of the holes from the box. Frankly, while it may be a fun finale – I feel it’s a little anti-climatic. There are some minor angle issues but they are easily managed.

You’ll also learn two bonus effects...

Hollow (W)Hole is a showy card in balloon using the hole punched deck. It’s a great take on a classic premise with plenty of room for presentation. It plays very big and could easily be part of a platform show – yet it’s compact enough to be used in any close up performance.

Up last is (CH)Angel a weird moment of magic in which a “hole” from one card transposes with a part of a selected card. This requires some prep work and a somewhat gentle handling. It’s not the strongest thing on the disc - but still pretty darn cool and well worth checking out.

If you like the plot and the demo video, I suspect you’ll be very happy with this item. It’s a practical and magical effect. Not to mention it’s a real worker – no pipe dreams here – The (W)Hole Deck is clearly the creation of someone performing magic in the real world.

Get the full details on The (W)Hole Deck by clicking here.

I know it’s been a bit quiet on the blog – but it’s been the exact opposite on this side of the screen. I’ve been on the road so much lately for the Real Magic Roadshow that I must admit it’s left little time for regular posts. Between travel, product production, managing the events, general Elmwood Magic business, and real life – my time has certainly been spread a bit thin lately.

But it’s the good kind of thin – productive and fun.

The response thus far to Real Magic Roadshow has been absolutely stellar, with crowds growing larger at each event. I’ve been posting updates, photos, and videos on the Real Magic Roadshow website – so I won’t duplicate that information here. If you want to know more, just click here and we hope you’ll join us on the road!

Aside from our regular best sellers, there’s no doubt that the hottest items at the shows have been our three “secret” new releases. I say “secret” because since we’ve released our latest Elmwood items at Blackpool in February, we have ONLY made them available at conventions and the Real Magic Roadshow events. They are not on the site and won’t be until May. I’ve been contacted by many people asking why we’re doing this and the answer is twofold and simple...

One, we wanted to have some special items that could ONLY be found by attending the events. A little extra “thank you” for coming out to support us. The second reason? Time. We can barely keep up with the demand for the items at the live events – so trying to satisfy both the real world and the online one would be a little rough. Not to worry, they will be on the site soon.

For now, just remember these names:

Naked, Token, and iBalance

You’ll be hearing a lot about them in the next couple months!

It’s the morning of March 15th – tomorrow is our first Real Magic Roadshow.

The excitement level is high and I’ve done all I can do to make it a successful event.

The rest is up to you.

People have asked me why I’ve decided to do these events. I could give many answers - but the primary motivation was a response to issues I heard from many customers about attending conventions. They wanted to see all the great new magic available but...

• The event was too expensive. The Roadshow is only $10 and if you pre-register we pay YOU to be there.
• The event was too long. The Roadshow is an intense one day experience. You’ll get to see the latest and greatest from some of the industries leading dealers and creators – and you’ll still have most of your day to attend to family, work, or other responsibilities.
• The travel costs were prohibitive. No need to travel a great distance to places like Las Vegas, we’re coming to you! Even if you need to drive a few hours, the day ends early enough that you’ll be home and sleeping in your own bed. That means no hotel or costly travel expenses.

I believe strongly in the live magic experience. Not a YouTube video - but a real, hands-on, face to face experience. Those opportunities seem to be dwindling for magicians. If you've ever lamented that fact - then the Roadshow is for you. I've worked hard to make these events a success, but it's up to you to finish the job.

The Road is calling. Will you answer?

• Detroit, MI - March 16th
• Pittsburgh, PA – March 23rd
• Boston, MA – April 6th
• Minneapolis, MN – April 20th
• Raleigh, NC – May 4th
• Chicago, IL May 18th