The Unbelievable True Story of How I Got Into the Magic Castle (It Started in a Grocery Store)

My second home, the world famous Magic Castle in Hollywood, CA.

Most people assume you need secret connections, years of training, or some mysterious handshake to get into the world-famous Magic Castle in Hollywood.

Me? I just went grocery shopping in Victorville.

The Day Everything Changed

It was 2016, and I was living in the desert town of Victorville — about 90 miles from Los Angeles. Nothing glamorous, nothing magical, just the kind of place where the biggest excitement is when Stater Bros. puts Spam on sale.

One ordinary afternoon after work, I stopped by Stater Bros. to grab a few essentials. I wasn’t thinking about magic, Hollywood, or life-changing opportunities. I was just thinking about getting home.

I waited in line, zoning out like everyone else. And then I looked down.

At my feet were two tickets. Not coupons, not receipts, not scratchers. Tickets to the Palace of Mystery stage show at the Magic Castle.

Just sitting there. On the floor. At Stater Bros.

Now, I don’t know about you, but I’d never seen that on the shopping list. It felt like something out of Harry Potter — except instead of an owl delivering my Hogwarts letter, Stater Bros. delivered my Magic Castle invitation.

The Audition

Those tickets lit a fire in me. A year later, I auditioned to become a magician member of the Castle. I went in nervous, hopeful, and wondering if destiny had really dropped those tickets in front of me for a reason.

A week later, I got the call: I was accepted.

I’d officially joined one of the most exclusive clubs in the world.

A New Family

Since then, the Magic Castle has given me more than just a stage. I’ve performed for audiences from around the world, and I’ve bombed in front of fellow magicians who knew exactly how I messed up (humbling, to say the least). I’ve made lifelong friends I proudly call my Castle family. I even met my partner in life for the first time inside those walls.

The Castle has been the backdrop for my successes, my failures, and some of the most magical memories of my life. Every time I pin on that little owl, I’m reminded that it all started with two tickets on the floor of a Stater Bros. grocery store.

Why I Believe in Magic

To me, the Castle isn’t just about tricks and illusions. It’s about moments that feel impossible but are absolutely real. And sometimes, the most magical things happen when you least expect them — like running errands in a small desert town in 2016.

So yes, the story sounds unbelievable. But I promise you: it’s 100% true.

And that’s why I’ll always say… magic is everywhere. You just have to look down sometimes.

-Jonathan Molo

The Man in the Purple Suit