Hi Folks
Does anybody remember a joke shop/magic shop on King Street opposite the Driving test centre in the 1960's ? I think it was called Kardoonis ?? and the guy who owned it also had a similar shop just behind the old cafe, down a side street of Victoria Road in New Brighton.
Any info and/or photos would be much appreciated.
Ken

Yes remember it well it wasa bit further up opposite Rice Lane or Millers shop if you remember Millers.

Yeah that's the one. I remember the old fellah who used to be in the shop, seemed quite weird, and always had a pipe in his mouth.

They used to sell second hand LP's there too. I bought my first records there, Slade Alive & Slayed! still got them & they are still great!

I bought a copy of Purple Haze by Hendrix from there, on a white Track Records label, would probably be worth a few quid now.
Also remember the trick chewing gum and other things.
How innocent things were in those days.

I also used to buy LPs from him, remember he sold cine 8 films some under the counter dodgy ones, not that I ever bought them.

Yeah ...remember it well he used to sell ex juke box recorda ...I went in once and got singles that were still in the charts for 10p each ...he was a magician and did kids parties etc he was a strange guy (I remember the pipe as well)...I seem to remember another customer calling him Tommy.

Wow yes, I recall now, you are right, he did do kids parties, etc.
He also used to buy records, always gave you a terrible price !!

I will have to research this a bit more.

Thanks for your memories, etc folks, if you remember any more then please post it up on here.

Ken

i remember the guy in new brighton was a magician.....

he used to make my pocket money disappear every week

Tom Dickinson was Karduni's real name at 60 King Street.

i lived round their as a kid always in their we lived above the motor bike shop a long time ago.

Such great info and memories guys.
Tatey you are a star.
Thanks SO much to all of you.
Please post more if you have it.
Ken

You know what the one thing that has just struck me....the shop had a characteristic smell ....not dirty but a strong odour like wicker or something along those lines.

I remember being mostly smoked-out by the pipe he was usually smoking. Just thought, didn't he wear a bow-tie, probably squirted water no doubt !!!

Breretons motorcycles.

I remember someone throwing a brick through his window and robbing the contents back in the 70s.

Wow I'd forgotten about the dickie bow ...Just remembered his wife sometimes worked there too

Rather bad photo of what was the Joke shop in New Brighton. This was on the corner of Tollemache and Albert streets. I stand to be corrected but think this was going before the King street one opened?

Used to walk through the park on a Saturday & spend my pocket money there. Stink bombs, pepper sweets, trick soap, telescope that blackened your eye & the silver things I used to put in my Dad's cigarettes that exploded when he lit them. Happy days.

I seem to remember that the joke shop owner also had a Punch and Judy set up which he used to have on the beach at New Brighton in front of the Tivoli and also in Central Park when the Gala was in town or am I getting mixed up with someone else?

Dave

I remember the King street joke shop, you walked up some small triangular shaped steps into the shop, I also remember getting some xray glasses and stink bombs there and a false chopped off finger. the memories.

I was trying to remember about the entrance to the shop. it was high up ,and the entrance to the next door shop was very close.
I remember buying a second hand Watkins echo chamber in there in the early 70's it was a really old one in fact it had valves in it.
I paid £8.00 for it, and it didn't work properly, so I took it back and he ever so nonchalantly suggested it would be alright for £4.00....and like a mug I accepted the £4.00 and left with it.
I can't remember where it went now ...but I could probably get about £150.00 for it on ebay even not working now..... they are super rare.

The shop next store that shared the steps was a gents barbers shop.

Dave

Great shop,visited every week...now where's my David Nixon magic book haha!

Punch and Judy was Codmans. Nothing to do with the joke shop as far as I am aware?

Could well be right, I'm probably getting mixed up.

Dave

Yes it was robbed a couple of times in the 60's and 70's. He had a rather dodgy anti theft device in the form of a metal grill inside the little side window (this was the one that got broke) with a cable running to it and a little orange bulb in a holder was also connected. A sign said something to the effect that if the bulb was lit it indicated that the grill was charged with 250 volts.

Was this shop taken over by a Mr. Roach, this would have been in the '60's also.

I remember the joke shop fondly haha. stink bombs, itchy powder fake dog poo and all the stuff lads as juveniles love. My dad had the shop next door for a few years as a gents hair dresser. I always remember my dad asking his customers ' any thing for the weekend' and hinting at the durex signs lol.