La Casa de los Trucos has been around for a long time — a really long time. A fixture in Miami since 1972, the store, was founded in Habana Vieja as a magic and costume shop a century ago. When Castro seized power, the Torres family brought their "House of Tricks" with them to the 305. It remains a family business, owned by Carmen Torres, with her son Jorge serving as manager. Jorge Torres says it was the joke stuff — whoopee cushions, hand buzzers, prop money, card sets, and illusion props — that pulled La Casa de los Trucos through the pandemic. "Costumes were a tough business, but we have other things people want to entertain themselves with," he tells New Times. "We did curbside, online, and some deliveries in the area. Jokes and magic did very well — it was enough to keep us going." The real magic, of course, is the shop' long-standing relationship with its clientele. "People come in and they remember us from our early Miami days," Torres notes. "Because when you're a kid, you like to do pranks and stuff like stink bombs. And now they're coming back and buying the same stuff for their kids! It's about nostalgia, reliving the old days and your youth."