Nestled under the Princess Twin banner in Uptown Waterloo, it is easy to simply walk past one of the city’s most unique places of business.
Kind of Magic has been open since Feb. 2006 in the downtown area, catering to a variety of customers, ranging from children to adults.
The store offers supplies ranging from tools for magic tricks, juggling, levitation, making balloon animals and even puppeteering.
“After 22 years of working in factories, I decided to retire…. I loved magic as a kid and I wanted to bring magic back to the forefront of the community and get kids doing something other than playing video games,” owner Phil Cox told The Cord.
While Cox loves the city of Waterloo, he noted that business is sometimes “tough” because of its location.
“I think that the Uptown core of Waterloo is definitely suffering because it has ease of access issues for people in suburbs, which is mostly our clientele,” he stated.
He noted that university students – who tend to be “big into juggling” – find the location of the store quite convenient, however.
For Cox, the store offers a valuable experience to customers because it helps “remind us of our childhood.”
“[Magic] asks us to suspend our belief in reality for just a few minutes,” he said.
He explained that practicing magic also helps children gain valuable skills.
“For children getting into it, it teaches practice and patience. It lets them out of their shell and perform in public…. Nothing in magic comes easy. You have to practice hard and study if you really want to get good at it and excel at it,” said Cox.
Kind of Magic is open seven days a week and offers extended hours from Wednesday to Friday – until 9 p.m. – up to Dec. 23.
