Wayne Shifflett was 16 years old when magic shop owner LeRoy Mingus taught him the ancient trick of cups and balls.
“When he taught me the trick, I thought it was kind of stupid,” Shifflett, who is now 75, recalled during a recent interview at Mingus Magic Shop, 528 Lancaster Ave. in Reading. “It seemed easy but guess what? Learning that trick got me hooked on magic.”
Shifflett celebrated 50 years of ownership of Mingus Magic Shop on May 20.
Shifflett, who retired from a career as an industrial designer, long ago perfected cups and balls, along with many other sleight-of-hand magic tricks.
Wayne Shifflett has owned the Mingus Magic Shop on Lancaster Ave. for 50 years. (BILL UHRICH/MEDIANEWS GROUP)
As the long-time owner of the magic shop — one of a dwindling number throughout the United States — Shifflett also is credited with kindling a love of magic in generations of children who visited there.
One of those children was Wayne Hoffman, a well-known mentalist and illusionist who grew up in Reading and made his first visit to Mingus Magic Shop at age 11.
“I’d ride my bike over to the shop and spend the whole afternoon there,” recalled Hoffman, who is now 45. “There were always magicians hanging around, learning from each other and passing the time. It was a great place to grow up.”
Hoffman, who performs throughout the country and abroad and has been featured on television shows including “TODAY,” “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” and “Penn & Teller: Fool Us,” credits Shifflett with much of his success.
Hoffman posted recently on his Facebook page, “If you’ve ever seen me perform something amazing, it is all because of Wayne Shifflett and the Mingus Magic Shop.”
The men have remained extremely close, visiting frequently and appearing together on an episode of “America’s Got Talent” in 2015.
“LeRoy Mingus was my mentor in magic, and I guess you could say that I was Wayne Hoffman’s,” Shifflett said. “That’s been one of the high points of my life and my career in magic.”
Wayne Shifflett has owned the Mingus Magic Shop on Lancaster Ave. for 50 years. (BILL UHRICH/MEDIANEWS GROUP)
Mingus Magic Shop
While Shifflett just celebrated 50 years of ownership, Mingus Magic Shop has a history that extends back to 1938 when it was founded by LeRoy Mingus.
After purchasing the shop from his mentor in 1976, Shifflett relocated it to its current location on Lancaster Avenue from West Reading in 1988.
A scarcity of brick-and-mortar magic shops attracts people from a wide area to the shop, including Alan Loewen, who had driven from Gettysburg to replace some magic tricks that had been damaged.
“There’s no magic shop near me and I hate to buy online because you can’t tell what you’re getting,” Loewen explained. “Brick-and-mortar magic shops are as scarce as hen’s teeth these days, so I drive to Reading.”
The shop carries numerous tricks, books and other items, including the famous Mingus feather flowers.
First crafted by LeRoy Mingus, Shifflett has continued the art of flower making.
Used in a variety of magic tricks, Mingus flowers are a favorite of magician David Copperfield, who recently commissioned Shifflett to create a basket of them.
The feathers also have been part of the “Miss America Pageant” and have appeared on “Happy Days,” “Love Boat,” “Fantasy Island” and other television shows.
Shop remains a gathering spot
Mingus Magic Shop carries a variety of merchandise that magicians need, but it probably is better valued as a friendly, comfortable gathering spot for those who love magic.
Wayne Shifflett has owned the Mingus Magic Shop on Lancaster Ave. for 50 years. (BILL UHRICH/MEDIANEWS GROUP)
A stage in a small theater in the rear of the shop is used frequently for shows and lectures, providing a practice ground for burgeoning magicians.
A magic marathon is held there on the first Saturday of each May, featuring different magicians performing every half hour.
José Joel Delgado-Rivera is a frequent visitor to the shop, where he converses with Shifflett and other magicians while practicing some magic tricks of his own.
The general manager for Spotlight PA’s Berks Bureau, Delgado-Rivera received a FARO community grant through Barrio Alegria and the Wyomissing Foundation, enabling him to present magic shows for kids.
Doing so, he said, allows him to pass down his love of magic to future generations, just as Mingus and Shifflett have.
Celebration set to honor Shifflett
A private celebration honoring Shifflett and the legacy of Mingus Magic Shop is set for Sunday, May 31 at the GoggleWorks Center for the Arts.
With a theme of “Into the Future Together,” the event will feature the showing of a new documentary chronicling the story of Shifflett’s 50-year ownership of Mingus Magic Shop.
The DeLorean “Time Machine” featured in the first “Back to the Future” film will be on hand for photos and rides, according to Hoffman, who was instrumental in arranging the celebration.
Shifflett, who has contributed much to the world of magic, said he is honored to be recognized as a member of the magic community.
“People have been practicing magic since ancient times,” he said. “The cups and balls trick is from Roman times and the first book about magic was written in the 1500s. I can’t imagine not being a part of all that.”
Wayne Shifflett has owned the Mingus Magic Shop on Lancaster Ave. for 50 years. (BILL UHRICH/MEDIANEWS GROUP)