New England's Last Specialty Magic Store Goes 'Poof!'

PEABODY, MA — For more than 22 years, Diamond's Magic had operated in a nondescript strip mall in Peabody, catering to amateur and professional magicians throughout the region. By the time it closed on Tuesday, it was believed to be the last specialty magic shop in New England. A resurgence in interest in magic, thanks to talent shows like America's Got Talent, wasn't enough to help the store survive the Internet.

"It seems to me that the younger kids, who are very much still into magic, don't care about the live experience,don't care about meeting somebody, shaking their hand, getting their autograph," Vince DeAngelis, a loyal customer who bought the shop five years ago, told WGBH. "They're happy to buy an autographed deck of cards from online or watch a downloaded lecture."

DeAngelis was of the generation of kids and adults who hung out in magic shops, trading tips and honing their skills. Internationally renowned magicians like David Copperfield and Penn Gillette frequently cite the impact local magic shops had on launching their careers. At one point, they were scattered throughout New England with a concentration on the North Shore, thanks to Salem. But DeAngelis believes his was the last of its kind in the six New England States.

At its peak, DeAngelis said, the store catered to sleight-of-hand artists, street magicians, jugglers, ventriloquists, clowns, escapologists, mentalists and gospel magicians. But in recent years, DeAngelis had to dip into his personal savings to keep the shop going.

"I wasn't looking for a lavish lifestyle. I saw myself doing this until — not to retirement, because I didn't plan on retiring — until I died," he told WGBH. "Now I feel bad because I have no magic shop to hang out at...this is all I ever wanted to do."

For more on this story, see WGBH. Video of a Joker mannequin that had adorned the store being thrown away by Diamond's Magic.