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stine Regular user TN 152 Posts |
I think it was Santa Anna CA. The first magic store I ever saw. They gave lessons which included Wild Card. My first book was Bert Allerton's Close-up Magic Book which got me into restaurant magic. Anybody remember this place?
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irossall Special user Snohomish, Washington 529 Posts |
Yes, living in Cypress, California I visited the shop many times and got to know Mr. Bentley quit well. I still remember the address. 210 E. 4th st. Santa Ana, California. I did mail order for a couple of years until I got my driver's licence then I started going there. I was very disappointed on my first visit. The "Magic Shop" was just a corner of what was really a Pawn Shop. Mr. Bentley was not a dissapointment, I remember him as a very large man and very often wore a coon skin cap and very friendly. The years that I did business there was 1965 to 1969.
Iven
Give the gift of Life, Be an Organ Donor.
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stine Regular user TN 152 Posts |
I went in mid 70's and remember the coon skin cap as well! I bought some gimmicked coins from them dated from early 60's so they were high silver content. I had to find 60's fifty cent pieces to match. good to know there are others who remember.
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Randy Sager Elite user 409 Posts |
I remember going there onece ther durring a family vacation. Had to have been around 75-74?. If I remember correctly I boutght My first ever set of Chinese sticks,Color Vision and one or two other things there.
I didn't see any one with a coon skin cap but do remember the name of the shop. |
Clay Shevlin Elite user 497 Posts |
On a lark, I looked in this topic and could not believe it when I read the Bentley's header.
I grew up in Santa Ana, and in the late sixties my parents would take me on Saturdays to Bentley's Trading Post to get lessons from Aldini (Alex Weiner, I think). Very fond memories. In fact, if I didn't know better, I'd say that Bentley and Hades went to the same hair stylist! This also brings memories of Steve Shreiner and Chuck ???, who worked at the Main Street magic shop at Disneyland. Any of you know Doug Kennedy or his whereabouts? |
zappo New user Concord. CA 6 Posts |
I still have a Bengal Net purchased from Mr. Bentley in 1965. I can remember my father having a fit because I spent the entire $15 I made from doing a magic show at my elementary school on one effect! I spent many happy hours with Mr. Bentley in that shop, and always had one of my parents at my side. I don't remember Aldini working there, although Mr. Bentley certainly sold many of Aldini's products (Fish Bowl production, salt shaker, sealed milk pitcher, etc.) I do remember Aldini worked at the Disneyland Hotel magic shop (Taylor and Humme (sp?)) for many years.
Al and Steve Shriner (sp? again) were both members of the Orange County Mystics as were Suds the Magician (Ted Sudbrack -- sp?) and Lester Rash. One of my high school teachers, Mel Bennett was kind enough to introduce me to that group who "brought me up right" as a young magician. I am still in contact with Mr. Bennett as well as Jay Tesch who always had time to share magic with an eager youngster. Thanks for the blast from the past. |
My Great Uncle "John Bentley" New user 1 Post |
Funny that I came across this post. I was just telling my wife about some of the flavorful stories of my Great Uncle John. Mr Bentley is my Great Uncle on my father side. I've heard stories about how he and his friend had to leave Detroit very suddenly and never looked back. There was a family story of his involvement with the first hotel in Vegas, El Rancho which later became the Flamingo???? He was also a pilot flying trainers during the war teaching student in Vegas to fly until one day he crashed and broke his legs. From this time on he walked with a cane a lot and never flew again. I do remember him having very long hair as well. He was married to a women named Doris and had a couple of kids. He also was the owner of Bentley's Trading Post on Fremont St.in Las Vegas until he was burned out and force to sell the burned remains and land to the 4 Queen's owner. I heard that he was picked in a big black Cadillac by a lawyer and driver in the dead of night. This was shortly after a very suspicious fire burned his shop to the ground as well as many around the same time.. Supposedly he was given a "one time offer" to take a suit case full of money or forever live in the desert among the scorpions. He shortly moved to California and opened Bentley's Trading Post on 4th St in Santa Ana and lived on Balboa Island. I recall as a very young man getting to pilot his large cabin cruiser on one of our visits.
Hope you guys found these stories fun to read. I really enjoyed the stories you had to share with each other about my "Great Uncle John." |
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