New magic shop to open this week

March 24, 2020

Travis Nye had a decision to make.

Should he open his business, Spellbound Magic Shop & Parlor Theater, or wait for COVID-19 to start to disappear?

“I considered it,” said Nye, whose goal had been to open before April Fool’s Day on April 1.

“The lease was signed right before this happened, so I was full steam ahead, and it’s so versatile, being able to do classes and shows and sell online. This isn’t going to be a place packed with 30 or 40 people at a time. Everything is brand-new, and, in my opinion, it’s a safe place to come.”

While his plan is to open the doors Wednesday, March 25, he knows most of his early business likely will have to come from people who don’t walk into the store at 5413 W. 41st St.

The shelves are stocked with tricks for beginners to advanced magicians, along with items for gags, jokes and pranks, and Nye plans to show his inventory using his own set of tricks.

“I don’t have an online catalog yet, but I’ll be showcasing stuff every day. I’ll have plenty of downtime. So I’m just going to be showing and performing each item as I go through.”

He also plans to perform some magic shows through Facebook and has created a magic kit that he will deliver to homes.

“They’re $30 with a two-hour (online) class that I’ll do more than once,” he said. “The kit normally sells for $20 or so, so for $10 more it’s delivered and you get the online class to walk you through it, and it has eight to 10 tricks inside it.”

He hopes his items will bring some relief for families looking for new ways to entertain at home.

“I picked up a couple students because I’ve been teaching magic about three years … and I’ve had five or six parents reach out that I taught right before this happened, and they’re posting videos constantly of them performing, so that’s a lot of fun to see,” he said.

Hours will be noon to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Shoppers can come in or call 605-653-8043 to talk through purchasing options. Eventually, the shop will hold magic shows and host parties and other events.

“If I get through the next couple months, after that people will be itching to get out of the house and do stuff, and that will be my saving grace,” Nye said. “Other than that, I’m pretty versatile. I’ll deliver. I’ll mail. It’s a fun activity.”

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New magic shop to open this week

Spellbound Magic & Parlor Theater is opening Wednesday, March 25 — with a backup plan for those who want to support it without shopping in the store.

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