Story Photos
 Photo by Bill Wagner Magician Mark Benthimer demonstrates a flashy trick at his store, Magic Fest, inside the Three Rivers Mall in Kelso. |
Talking Business: Magician makes shop appear
Monday, September 24, 2007 7:08 AM PDT
By Evan Caldwell, columnist
Printable version
E-mail this articleMark Benthimer hopes to conjure jokesters and magicians with his new magic store in the Three Rivers Mall in Kelso.
The 40-year-old professional magician opened Magic Fest earlier this month, offering more than 300 tricks from beginner gags to complicated sleight-of-hand illusions.
"We're a teaching magic shop," said Benthimer, who has been a professional magician since he was 19. "I want to help people get the trick right because I love magic."
However, he won't simply tell people how a trick is done.
"If you buy a product, we will teach you," he said. "It's like if a music shop sells you a guitar and sheet music and says, 'Come back every day and we'll teach you how to play.' That's what we do, but with magic tricks."
Benthimer also owns Magic Fest stores at Jantzen Beach in Portland and Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. He can send out magicians for birthday parties, company events and for large performances.
"We have magic tricks for everybody ---- school teachers, salesmen, kids, pastors," he said. "Stuff like a flaming business card that remains undamaged is pretty fun."
Benthimer said magic tricks seen on TV keep business steady but customers range in age from 3 to 73.
"So far, we're averaging between 70 and 100 a day," he said.
The shop is open 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. The number is 501-6241 and the Web site is www.magicfest.com/.
James Gorley, 31, of Kelso has been practicing magic for seven years and was ordering products online before Magic Fest opened.
"We do this to make people smile," said Gorley while visiting the shop on his lunch break Friday. "A shop like this should add some excitement in the community."
Panda Express to be drive-through
The Panda Express restaurant rising in the northwest corner of the Triangle Shopping Center will be a drive-through and sit-down eatery, said Colin Crawford, the chain's real estate manager for the Northwest.
It will employ 25 people. "They will be a mix of full-time and part-time," Crawford said.
The 2,450-square-foot building is being built by TJ Nesbit Construction out of Clackamas, Ore. The business is planned to be open in early January.
"We definitely felt Longview was a big enough town and ready for a Panda Express," he said. "We like the retail center there. It seems to be the heart of retail district."
Crawford said they are aware of the eatery's proximity to other Chinese restaurants but "we feel there is enough business for everyone."
Center offers health wellness
The Church Street Wellness Center offers "a variety of services based on health and wellness," said Amy Schwartz, an owner.
The center has a massage therapist, a mental health therapist, two body workers and two estheticians --- skin care specialists. It has been in business for a year and still has one storefront available for lease
The business is located at 208 Church Street in Kelso. It is open weekdays and services are available by appointment.
If you know about a business opening, closing or going through major changes, contact reporter Evan Caldwell . He can be reached at evan.caldwell@tdn.com. or Talking Business, The Daily News, P.O. Box 189, Longview, WA 98632.
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