Browse a Legendary Flatiron Costume Shop With Free Close-Up Magic
Step inside a longtime Flatiron costume and magic superstore on 21st Street where resident illusionist Doctor S demonstrates sleight of hand right at the counter.
🎩 Impromptu Sleight of Hand on 21st St
🃏 Live Sleight of Hand at the Magic Counter
Abracadabra NYC is a longtime Flatiron costume and magic superstore on 21st Street, packing several storefronts with theatrical makeup, stage animatronics, and professional illusion supplies. On Fridays and Saturdays between 11:00 AM and 7:00 PM, resident illusionist Doctor S sets up right at the magic counter to demonstrate close-up sleight of hand. There is no stage or velvet rope: you can watch in-person tricks unfold just a few feet away, entirely free.
🎭 Forty Years of Theatrical Curiosities
Founded in the Village in the early 1980s before moving to 21st Street, the shop has supplied Broadway wardrobe crews, film productions, and practicing illusionists for decades. Wandering the aisles reveals professional stage props, trick decks, custom wigs, and vintage masks alongside collectible gag gifts. Watching the demonstrations carries zero pressure to buy, though staff are happy to unpack beginner trick boxes and explain how the effects work.
🚇 Location, Call-Ahead Advice, and Subway
Demonstrations depend on staff availability on the store floor, so calling ahead at 212-627-5194 is recommended to check when Doctor S is actively performing before heading over. The shop sits at 19 West 21st Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues, open until 7:00 PM with no tickets or purchase required. For transit, take the F or M train to the 23rd St (6th Ave) station, or the R or W train to 23rd St (Broadway), both two short blocks away.
