One of the world's largest online magic retailers is located in Fresno

Friday, January 25, 2019
FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- It is like an illusion; if you don't look close enough, you'll miss magic retailer Hocus Pocus, but there is a lot of magic inside the non-descript Central Fresno building, it goes on for 30,000 square feet.

Cannons, coffins, and cards are only but a small fragment of what is for sale.

Owner Paul Gross said it is easy to get lost looking at all the merchandise.

"You never know what somebody is going to ask for when the phone rings or what somebody is going to say and we have some pretty interesting characters that have walked through these doors."
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The same can be said for their online shoppers.

Hocus Pocus is one of the world's largest online magic suppliers. According to Gross, they're one of the top two sellers. For him, it all started at a young age. When he was five, he saw a magician perform.



"He did three tricks, he pulled my grandfather up to help with one of them, and that was it, and I was bit," said Gross.

At 19 he was working in magic full time and opened up his first shop. Over the years he started selling online. According to Gross, the sales were high, so they closed their walk-in store.

"We have thousands of people visit our store in a day, where we would not have that many people visit our store in a year," he said.

From apprentice to sorcerer they have a long list of high profile clients.
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"Criss Angel, David Copperfield, Piff the Magic Dragon from Americas Got Talent is one of my biggest customers right now," said Gross. "David Blaine, you name it."

They have sold to people across the globe, but one of their biggest buyers is only a few hundred miles away from Fresno. Gross said they have provided props for several Hollywood movies and TV shows.



"There was a movie that never came to fruition, they bought a lot of magic from us," he said. "Danny Devito was the star of the movie, and he was a magician. They were buying props from us for two months straight."

Hocus Pocus primarily sells online, but Gross said he does not mind people stopping by and checking out his wares at his office located at 1492 N Clark #104, Fresno CA 93703.
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