Inside China’s First Magic Bar

Anson Chen has been busy the past few years. Having inherited Bund 18, the landmark Shanghai shopping mall with panoramic views of the Pudong district skyline and a rooftop bar deemed one of the “World’s Best,” he did some renovating. In came renowned French chef Joël Robuchon to update Bund 18’s flagship restaurant. Then a new sushi bar was added, along with an outpost of Michelin-starred Cantonese restaurant Hakkasan.

But once all that was seen to, the enterprising Chen decided it was time for a new challenge. He opened Blackstone Magic Bar, China’s first magic bar and one of the world’s only dedicated close-up magic theatres.

Anson Chen outside Blackstone Magic Bar in Shanghai. All photos by the author.

Hidden behind a pillar in Da Tong Mill, a recently revamped underground space in the city’s Jing’an neighbourhood, there is a mirrored storefront. In the centre of the reflective surface is a drawing of a light bulb floating inside a birdcage. This is the entrance to Blackstone Magic Bar.

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