Brick and mortar stores.

There's a lot to be said about brick and mortar stores. Magic store wise. Sure,  you can watch videos online and purchase a trick cheaper. But what is that doing for you? What is that doing for the originator of that trick? What is it doing to the local magic stores, that are now far and few between?
I worked at a Magic shop for a few years for basically nothing, totally wiping out any cash I had. Why? Because it was my dream job. I was able to meat so many magicians, jugglers, clowns and many other different entertainers. I had a chance to be taught by magicians from a who's who in magic.
I was taught tricks that may never be published. You see when you go to a magic store, you're not just getting a trick. You're getting an experience like you would never get just by buying a trick through the internet.
All to often i meet magicians that just buy tricks and never use them. They just want to sit in front of a mirror and do the trick in the mirror all day. We have a name for this...Magical Masturbation.
These are the same guys that look for cheap knockoffs from china because they know they will never use them in everyday life.
But for those who really want to learn, who really want the hone there skills, for those who love having jam sessions with other magicians, for those who want to learn more then the trick itself then get off your butts and go to a magic shop.
And there are treasures not found on dvds at magic shops. In New Jersey, there's a little magic shop in a plaza, whose owner was a talent agent for Jerry Lewis, and many other stars. In his shop he has a portfolio of the stars he was an agent for.
In Maryland, there is a magic shop whose owner is known through out the world. And sometimes actors that are magicians stop by and hang out.
In New York, magicians abound and the libraries, stores, and teachers are everywhere. You do know what libraries are don't you? No pdf files here, and no books will turn into any to preserve the secrets within.
So get out and go to one. I dont care if its 50- 60 -100 miles away. It is always worth going to one.