Decks of cards at The Magic Apple in Studio City. (Pablo Goldstein/L.A. Material)
LOS ANGELES IS HOME TO THE MAGIC CASTLE, the official clubhouse of the Academy of Magical Arts and a Hollywood destination for magic lovers for over 100 years. But just 10 minutes up the Cahuenga Pass you’ll find another magic institution — this one located on the second floor of a Studio City strip mall. And unlike The Magic Castle, there’s no dress code or need to hound an existing member for an invitation.
Opened in 2003 by professional magician Brent Geris, The Magic Apple not only sells thousands of magic tricks, pranks, custom card decks, books, and all sorts of magic ephemera, it’s also a community hub with lessons, lectures, events, and meetings for professional, beginner, and hobbyist magicians.
While the affable Geris had several competitors when he opened, his brick-and-mortar has survived long enough to attain the title of Only Magic Shop in Los Angeles. It’s probably also the only store in L.A. where you can rent a box to perform the “Sawing A Woman In Half” illusion.
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