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stephenbanning
Regular user
United States
178 Posts
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Posted: Jul 20, 2004 4:54pm
I remember being awestruck when I was at Tannen's Magic Shop in New York. I had practically memorized their catalogue. I remember meeting Frank Garcia there who was quite non-plused to meet me, an eleven-year old. He was less than friendly.
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kbfnyf
New user
60 Posts
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Posted: Aug 23, 2004 9:13pm
I had a similar experience at Tannen's however it was Harry Lorayne I met. In contrast Harry was extremely friendly and made a huge impression. I have loved magic ever since...
I am pleased that Tannen's has relocated to a larger spot & I look forward to a visit as soon as I get a chance...
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EKG
0 Posts
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Posted: Aug 31, 2004 2:23am
I was just there the other week. They were busy setting up their shop yet they were very friendly and catered to all my requests. It's a bit hard to find, you need to know the exact address to get there.
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Wizardwannabe
New user
30 Posts
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Posted: Jun 7, 2005 11:45pm
Quote:
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On 2004-07-20 16:54, stephenbanning wrote:
I remember being awestruck when I was at Tannen's Magic Shop in New York. I had practically memorized their catalogue. I remember meeting Frank Garcia there who was quite non-plused to meet me, an eleven-year old. He was less than friendly.
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Aren't those Tannen catalogs from twenty or so years ago just the best? They were essentially books (I mean they looked and felt like a book) with great covers of Blackstone, Copperfield, Henning, S&R, etc. But of course the best part was the contents. The close-up section, card section, coin section and the book catalog in the back. The absolute best magic catalogs!
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gulamerian
Special user
576 Posts
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Posted: Jun 11, 2005 9:29am
Tannens. 120 West 42nd Street. I remember my father taking me there as a kid just starting out in magic. They took the time to spend with you no matter how busy it was.
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Wizardwannabe
New user
30 Posts
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Posted: Jul 5, 2005 9:39pm
The other day I was in the public library in my town and for the heck of it I got the Manhattan Yellow Pages and looked up magic shops. Incredibly, Tannens is not listed. Does anyone know why? I also could not believe it when I saw Milbourne Christopher's name listed under "Magicians"! This is the current Manhattan phone book I'm talking about.
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jondark445
Special user
704 Posts
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Posted: Jul 23, 2005 7:31pm
Hi:
Don't know if you got an answer to this, but Tannens is now at 45 West 34th Street. It's actually right by the old digs of Flossor Hornman.
Sadly though, my experiences recently with them were not so good. Just before they moved I got an out and out bait and switch pulled on me. Went in, asked for flash cotton, the salesman told me he'd check and showed me where the sale items were that they were looking to sell before they moved. Told me to browse while he checked. I browsed, came out with nothing, asked if he'd checked, he said he didn't think he had flash cotton, but, again, said he'd check. Then, seeing nothing in my hands for purchase--and not bothering to check for the cotton--said they didn't have what I wanted.
There are other, better dealers out there. Dealers which give the experiences that we had when we were younger. I remember going into Tannens and LOVING it. I want that experience, I now turn to Denny & Lee.
--Jon
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Watchmaker
Loyal user
286 Posts
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Posted: Jul 27, 2005 9:31am
Tannen's seems to have changed over the years. I would never miss stopping by any time I was in the city.
20 years ago they made strangers feel like friends. Mr Garcia was always nice to us, although Mr. Banning may have caught him on a bad day. In fact, Mr. Garcia signed my sponsership to the I.B.M. and he didn't just pencil-whip it either, he spent some time talking with me about magic.
It makes me feel bad to say things there seem to have changed.
It's probably just nostalgia but one of the nicest memories is of "the elevator door opening". If you've been there you know what I mean!
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four elements
New user
91 Posts
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Posted: Jul 27, 2005 10:14pm
Tannens was a magical place when I first went there years ago. But it seems to have gone down hill since they moved from the location with the elevator doors.
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jlevey
Inner circle
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
1948 Posts
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Posted: Oct 15, 2005 9:25pm
Tony, Jack, Lou, and Irv were always friendly and encouraging to me whenever I visited their shop as a youth (which was frequently), back in the early to mid 70's.
Soon after its initial launch onto the market, I remember Tony performing his ingenious Astrosphere routine right there for me in the shop. I was about 15 years old at the time and buying it was, for me, a costly purchase... but buy I did… and I didn't regret it.
Years later, I popped into the store and asked Tony for his advise on a small comedy illusion that would pack small and play big. One that would fit my particular style of silent-comedy. Without hesitation, Tony recommended the buzz saw thru-neck –for my particular show.
This effect has been a featured hit of my show, ever since, over many years.
Just prior to Tony's retirement, what seems like a few years ago (?), I would call him a few times a year to asks his opinion on the business side of magic, as well as his advise on purchasing certain effects.
He was always attentive and helpful, going out of his way to source and mail out difficult to find props, advising on why one prop was better than another for a certain effect, and much more.
I certainly feel sad that none of the "old" gang (as far as I know) are with the store any more.
Any idea on what Tony is doing these days? Perhaps he still works in the capacity of consultant to the magic/tv community.
With fond memories...
Jonathan
PS: If you’re reading this Tony…many thanks for all you’ve done to inspire and support youths growing into magic, well into their adult years.
"Max"
Max & Maxine Entertainment
Magicians with a touch of comedy!
_____________________________________
www.maxmagician.com
www.mindreadershow.com
www.monsieurmagic.com
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TrickyRicky
Inner circle
TrickyRicky
1207 Posts
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Posted: Nov 8, 2005 8:50am
I remembered the day I was in Tannen's when Muhammed Ali walked in with some 12 body guards.
He created so much excitement--as you all know how he could talk.
Richard Lyn
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nucinud
Inner circle
New York, New York
1276 Posts
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Posted: Nov 22, 2005 1:09pm
I have been in every Tannens location. (they moved around).
Met Paul Harris, David Roth, Doug Edwards, Ken Kranzel, just to name a few.
Also used to go the Flosso Hornmans. Ah the good old days.
"We are what we pretend to be" Kurt Vonnegut, jr.
Now U C It Now U Don't
Harry Mandel
www.mandelmagic.com
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jsilk7
New user
67 Posts
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Posted: Aug 13, 2006 4:46pm
I have not been to the new Tannens will have to make the trip
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jwebyra
Regular user
New Jersey
139 Posts
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Posted: Oct 10, 2006 4:55pm
I visited Tannen's a couple of times when they were on 32nd and a number of times when they were on 25th. I remember stopping by at the Dunkin Donuts on 31st and 5th for a jelly donut. I been to the new location a couple of times and the last time I was there they ignored me. If I am in New York I will stop by Fantasma. My primary shop is Martinka (Flosso Hornmann)in Midland Park, N.J. Ted is a great guy to talk too.
Ron
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leapinglizards
Inner circle
1254 Posts
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Posted: Oct 15, 2006 11:32am
Kind of makes me sad.... Irving Tannen and Tony Spina sponsored me into SAM- I went there for the first time, when they were on Broadway, right after having seen Harry Blackstone on broadway- I was probably about 12.
I recall a nice guy who was super helpful to me as a kid... didn't relaize until I got home are read a magazine that that guy was.... Harry Lorraine.
Aside from Espizito's magic shop on Long Island, Tannen's was the only place I ever had good In Person experiences. The mood in many shops is often a bit put off-ish, until they know you a bit.
Leaping Lizards!!! Who knew it was possible.
www.LeapingLizardsMagic.com
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MagiClyde
Special user
Columbus, Ohio
871 Posts
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Posted: Nov 18, 2006 4:07am
If Tannen's is under new management or ownership, they may not have the desire to see anyone as nothing more than a walking money machine. Usually, they don't have the same love or sentiment for the magical arts that caused the store to be such a success in the first place. More's the pity. 
Magic! The quicker picker-upper!
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Rocketeer
Special user
Westchester, NY
850 Posts
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Posted: Nov 23, 2006 10:04pm
I go way back with Tannen's. The first time I went there was when one of my older brothers took me there in the mid sixties. I was about 12 or so. This was when it was on West 42nd. I thought it was soooo cool that you entered an office building and took the elevator up a few floors. There was no hint to the wonders that awaited you behind the office door that could have lead to an ordinary company. You opened that door and you were in a real live magic shop!!!
By the ninth grade my two magic-addled friends and I would take our Christmas and Hannakuh money and make a pilgrimage on the #1 train to Times Square to blow it all. Tony Spina treated us kids with the same respect and attention he treated the grownups and loved to demonstrate for us. I think we all bought Glorpys. I also remember buying a book entitled Fire Magic and actually making torches of straightened coat hangers, cotton and unleaded gasoline! In those days only Amoco sold unleaded so that's where we got it. Needless to day, don't try this at home kids. It was a different era.
I didn't think the location on Broadway was quite as "magical" for some reason. I don't know why. The last time I was at Tannens was probably 1992 or so. I don't recall if that was the location in the 20s or 30s. It definitely had lost something. The only highlight was meeting Harry Lorayne and having him autograph Close-up Card Magic for me. He joked that he had signed so many of them that the ones without his autograph were actually worth more.
I never did make it to Flosso-Hornmann or Martinka's. I wish I had.
"Do you like card tricks?"
"No, I hate card tricks," I answered.
"Well, I'll just show you this one."
He showed me three.
From "Mr. Know-All" by W. Somerset Maugham
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Billy Harper
New user
7 Posts
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Posted: Nov 24, 2006 3:01pm
My grandfather was a retired New York City policeman and took me to Tannen's for the first time in 1956. I was a kid of eleven from Charlotte, North Carolina and had never been inside a magic store. Although now I perform close-up and sleight-of-hand, I will always feel an electric thrill whenever I walk into a magic shop and see all those wonderful, shiny, brightly painted apparatus tricks - Hippity-Hop Rabbits, Arm Choppers, Cups and Balls, beautiful silks, Chinese characters written on bizarre items, linking rings - you name it. Tannen's had those fantastic framed photos of famous magicians tastefully hanging on the the walls. That day, Lou Tannen himself used my arm for a demonstration of an arm chopper he was pitching. Another year, 1959, he demonstrated a vanishing key and a flawless Chop Cup routine in which he produced two tennis balls for the final load. Over the years, whenever I used Tannen's mail order service, I would always get that same electric thrill whenever a package arrived with that great Tannen's logo on it. Even the mailing wrapper seemed exotic and magical. I didn't throw it away - I folded and saved it. I don't go to New York very often, but when I do, I never miss Tannen's.
Billy Harper
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Jonathan Kelly
Regular user
Waterford, Ireland
156 Posts
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Posted: Nov 25, 2006 2:37am
I went to Tannens this summer while on Holiday in NYC. It was my first time to a magic shop. I'm afraid I was less than impressed. The shop itself didn't look very magical and I was ignored for about 15 minutes before someone came to help me. Plus the store is very hard to find if you don't know where to look.
"But where did the lighter fluid come from?"
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Billy Harper
New user
7 Posts
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Posted: Jan 21, 2007 2:09pm
Does anyone have or know where I can purchase a Tannen's catalog from the 1950's?
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DStachowiak
Inner circle
Baltimore, MD
2158 Posts
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Posted: Jan 21, 2007 3:28pm
Quote:
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On 2005-06-07 23:45, Wizardwannabe wrote:
Aren't those Tannen catalogs from twenty or so years ago just the best? They were essentially books (I mean they looked and felt like a book) with great covers of Blackstone, Copperfield, Henning, S&R, etc. But of course the best part was the contents. The close-up section, card section, coin section and the book catalog in the back. The absolute best magic catalogs!
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I remember they also always included a bonus section in the back, usually a book that was in the public domain. I remember one time they had Annemann's "The Book Without a Name", and I think they had Erdnase once also. (I might be wrong about the Erdnase, I know Michael Mc Dougal included it in his "Card Mastery")
Quote:
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On 2007-01-21 14:09, Billy Harper wrote:
Does anyone have or know where I can purchase a Tannen's catalog from the 1950's?
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Try Denny Haney, He has a lot of old Tannen's Catalogues in the shop.
http://www.dennymagic.com/cgi-bin/hazel.cgi
Woke up.
Fell out of bed.
Dragged a comb across m' head.
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alannasser
Loyal user
209 Posts
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Posted: Feb 5, 2007 4:45pm
I used to go to Tannen's once a week in the late 1950s. Very friendly atmosphere. The great Jim Herpick used to demonstrate incredible stuff and he was a great mentor, always ready to help me with a sleight I was working on. (By the way, if anyone has the ORIGINAL Tannen's Glass Gone and is willing to sell it, be in touch with me yesterday please. I've been looking for this for years.)
I refer to the shop now as "the late Tannen's". The tradition is dead. It's now exclusively about making money, and the staff doesn't know much. Terrible pity.
Alan
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DLF
Regular user
LA via NYC
145 Posts
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Posted: Mar 6, 2007 4:57pm
Growing up in the midwest I was luck enough to travel a lot and we went to NYC every year. My big treat was a trip to Tannen's. We would spend hours there and I would leave with something terrific.
Ok, I'll meet you at the place near the thing where we went that time.
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DLF
Regular user
LA via NYC
145 Posts
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Posted: Mar 6, 2007 4:58pm
And yes, those catalogs. They were essentially hardcover books that were several hundred pages each, if my memory serves em correctly.
Ok, I'll meet you at the place near the thing where we went that time.
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-TW
New user
9 Posts
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Posted: Mar 30, 2007 10:06pm
I too was a Tannen's regular. I used to haunt the place. Especially on Sat's -- Then, when they closed at 3:00, everyone would go down to the Governor's Caféteria -- that's where I really learned how to perform close-up. Every Sat, for years. Harry Lorayne + Daid Roth + Sol Stone + Ken Krenzel + Gene Maze, etc. etc. etc all 'held court' week after week. -- Anyone remember those days at 'The Caféteria?'
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Justin Style
Inner circle
2010 Posts
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Posted: Apr 6, 2007 7:13pm
It was 1986, Tannens was on 31st street. I went there to get some "easy to do" magic tricks because I had a gig as a Mime (But was NOT a Mime) and thought I needed something to help me through. It worked, they liked my "show", so I went back to Tannens because I figured what they really liked was the magic tricks I did.
On my next visit I met Flaco. He was hanging around the store and asked me what I was buying. I told him, he asked if I knew how to do them? I said no so he said to come outside and he would show me. We went out to the corner of 5th ave and Flaco started doing card productions while telling me stories of magicians. I was blown away, hooked and became a member of the "club" for life.
I kept going back every Thursday, because they stayed open late, then Flaco and I would hook up with Chappy Brazil and work the streets from midtown down to the village and Washington Square Park. We made money had a few beers and had the greatest time you could imagine. I didn't know jack squat in those days but had a great time learning the ropes from those guys. Sadly both Flaco and Chappy have passed away and I really miss them very much. I wish they could see how far I have come since then...RIP
I remember Tony Spina working the counter and at that time he was heaavy into the "Wonder Bar" I loved it and still have the one I purchased from him. He always treated me well.
So now it's 1994 and I have been working with Rocco and Roger Mayfarth. Together we came up with the D'LITE. roger actually invented it for Rocco, but it took the three of us to make the act work for Rocco's stage performance. After FISM 94' they wanted to sell one part of the act. They asked me and Mondo (another great magician) to make some up and go to Tannens' convention in the Catskills. We made 250 and I went all alone. Got a dealers booth right across from Hank Lee, Mario Gonzales ran the dealers room. I was the biggest hit in the room. Nobody had ever seen the D'LITE before, heck it wasn't even called D'LITE at that time. I had no package, no instructions no nothing! just 2 Thumb tips in a plastic baggy. Well to make a long story a little longer, I sold out and Irv Tannen and Tony Spina loved me ever since. I got to hang out with them, take pictures and even have lunch together. It really was a great feeling that these two icons acknowledged me! little 'ol me, a nobody from New Jersey at one of the most famous conventions in the country, at that time. I'll never forget it and I will never forget them. I owe almost everything I've become because of Tannen's magic! And I still even have the catalogues from those days!
In this day of internet comerce, you just don't get that kind of experience and that is sad.
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magicians
Inner circle
Teacher and Legend
2872 Posts
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Posted: Apr 6, 2007 9:26pm
April 6, 2007 article about Tony Spina
http://www.recordonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070222/NEWS/702220352&emailAFriend=1
Illusionist, Illusionist consulting, product development, stage consultant, seasoned performer for over 35 years. Specializing in original effects. Highly opinionated, usually correct, and not afraid of jealous critics. I've been a puppet, a pirate, a pawn and a King. Free lance gynecologist.
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magicians
Inner circle
Teacher and Legend
2872 Posts
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Posted: Apr 6, 2007 9:49pm
My experience with Tannens was unusual. 1982, I had just released 4 effects that had gotten 4 stars in Genii mag. I went to Tannens and showed the effects and 4 more. They decided to buy them all and then devoted one whole page in Tannens Topics and put an ad with all of my items in Genii mag.
They devoted a whole shelf to my line in the back room plus let me lecture at Brown's (5 years running). I did their camp a couple of years as well.
What was the greatest tho, was being included in the Catalog. That was a permanent record of my magic contibutions. I have three catalogs on my shelf with 10 pages devoted to my products. Yes, they had a few unusual business tactics which I decided to overlook since they put me on the map.
Jack and Tony introduced me to Glenn David who then made my arm boxes for me. That connection could never be duplicated. No where in the retail world could you go from concept to finished product and have an item on the market within a week.
If I sent them an item prototype, they would follow up with initial orders of several gross.
The people who were there were even better. I was priveleged to be in the back room where I could stand alongside Garcia, Bob Elliot, and others who were just hanging. In my case, I was treated as an equal, but my secret was that I had only been in the business for 5 years. I was relatively unskilled and knew very little of sleights. However, if you were in that back room area, you were assumed to know the world of magic and were shown secrets and inside moves long before they went public.
More on my experiences at http://www.magic-ian.blogspot.com
-Magic Ian
Illusionist, Illusionist consulting, product development, stage consultant, seasoned performer for over 35 years. Specializing in original effects. Highly opinionated, usually correct, and not afraid of jealous critics. I've been a puppet, a pirate, a pawn and a King. Free lance gynecologist.
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Jonathan Townsend
Eternal Order
Ossining, NY
25249 Posts
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Posted: Apr 11, 2007 11:55am
Quote:
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On 2007-03-30 22:06, -TW wrote:...-- Anyone remember those days at 'The Caféteria?'
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 - and congrats on the PB&J trick.
...to all the coins I've dropped here
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snushy
Loyal user
289 Posts
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Posted: Apr 17, 2007 9:31am
I used to frequent Tannen's at the old 1540 Broadway location. Saturdays were absolute bedlam in the shop in those days. I remember Tony Spina demonstrating the Kozak sponge ball routine and selling them like hotcakes. Same with the Needle Through Arm. Man, that one used to make the girls sick on my block!
One of my fondest memories from those days at Tannen's was meeting and befriending Senor Mardo. He was so old and tiny and frail, but his enthusiasm for magic was still white hot. I was probably about 12 years old at the time, and Mardo kind of took me under his wing. He patiently taught me sleights and moves and timing and misdirection and showmanship. I bought all of his booklets and he signed them to me. They are amongst my most prized magic possessions. I was truly fortunate that an old pro was always ready with a kind smile and an encouraging word for me.
I have always thought that Mardo has been sadly overlooked. If magicians know of him at all it's for his egg bag, but he was much more than that. His books are still available, very inexpensive, and filled with gems.
Larry Zaslow
YOU KNOW WHY YOU DON'T SEE? BECAUSE YOU DON'T WATCH! - SLYDINI
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