At Jim's

Walking in the front door I'm accosted by the proprietor. A middle aged, slightly portly, man with a grin that stretches across his square face. With a laugh and a twinkle in his eye he says, "what are you doing here, we don't want anything from you". I smile in spite of myself. With a warm handshake Jim asks about me, my family and... "the magic".

Jim's place, as we call it in my household, is the local magic store and hang out of magicians, clowns, and other would be entertainers, especially those of us who have a desire to entertain by deception. His place (8912 Stagecoach Rd Little Rock, AR, (501) 455-6242) is a menagerie of gags, gaffs, puppets, posters, pictures, books, magazines, DVDs, videos, tables, boxes and over 10,000 magic tricks. All of this arranged, (mostly), and catalogued in a 3 ring binder, put into glass display cases, twirling wire racks, shelves and peg boards. Mr. Magic is a place of warmth and the love he has for magic is transferred to everyone who walks through the door.

On any given Saturday morning you are apt to find a collection of full time professionals, part time professionsal, amatures in various stages of skill and knowledge, sages of magical history and all of them ready to share their knowedge and expertise with the magician or the public. You will also find Joe public who might be interested in this art or looking for a present or a gag to play on the unsuspected.

If you have ever had an interest in the art of illusion, do yourself a favor, visit Mr. Magic or if you are bored by the mundane, the common and ordinary, spend a Saturday morning at the magic shop. You meet characters at Jim's.