Hollywood Magic Inc

09/15/08

Fun magical visit....

by charlie711 at Citysearch

So my kids wanted some magic tricks and I go online to find the Hollywood Magic store because I remember going there a long time ago......I found the address then read the reviews......I decided to go anyway....We walked in and a very nice gentleman approach us and asked if we needed help......I said that we needed some kid-friendly tricks.......He proceeded to show us a bunch of tricks and suggested some that my kids could perform.....We wound up staying another 20 minutes watching him and another salesman performing tricks for us.....We loved it....My kids will want to go back soon.......

• Pros: It's in Hollywood.....
• Cons: It's in Hollywood.....

09/02/06

Greats Stocks of Magic Tricks but Truly Poor Service!

by tjmagic at Citysearch

Hollywood Magic has a great selection, but no web presence nor any magic demonstrators that honestly seem to care whether customers purchase product or not. Many professional and amateur magicians have simply written-off Hollywood Magic and prefer to purchase their magic online rather than endure the lack of service and apathetic attitude.

Most all of the sales associates are "working" magicians, yet they work in a magic shop. Go figure? Perhaps this is where much of the unnecessary attitude comes from.

Bottom Line: If you need good-to-great props and magic effects, Hollywood Magic does stock a very good selection, but it's definitely touch-and-go when trying to find a helpful and most importantly, friendly salesperson. The sales staff has a sort of Don't Bother Us Until You're Ready to Purchase mentality.

In their defense, I will say there are a few friendly salespersons such a Neil and Woody Pittman (Woody works one day a week, VERY helpful), but mostly you have to interrupt a magician perfecting a trick or routine to other watchful employees to get ANY help whatsoever. It is a truly unfortunate and preventable situation. I suspect they could sell FIVE times the volume if the unresponsiveness to consumers were addressed.

Rule of Thumb: Keep your expectations for service low, plan on helping yourself, and bring someone who's somewhat knowledgeable about magic WITH you and you'll be fine.

• Pros: Great selection of contemporary magic tricks and props.
• Cons: Horrible customer service and consistently indifferent attitude

05/10/02

Don't get too excited when you go here

by josh at Citysearch

They have all the standard tricks that you'd find online or in any catalog, plus a few locally created ones. Their prices are a bit higher than I've seen online, but they are not ridiculous. They aren't great about showing tricks before purchase, though, so I've had to buy some things that sounded good that ended up being pretty bad.

• Pros: good selection, cool part of town
• Cons: don't show tricks