Roger Dreyer
Roger Dreyer (born July 7, 1963) is an American businessman, magician and Houdiniana collector. He is the CEO of Fantasma Magic and the owner of The Houdini Museum of New York.[1]
Early Life and Education[edit]
Dreyer was born in Roslyn, Long Island, New York. Dreyer first became interested in magic at age 11 when his grandfather took him to Paul Diamond's Magic Store in Fort Lauderdale, Florida to buy a deck of marked cards so he could win money back from some older neighborhood boys who had cheated him out of it.[1] Once back home in New York, Dreyer would play hooky from school to go to Al Flosso's Magic Store and Russ Delmar's Magic Centre. Despite his school skipping, his grades never suffered and he eventually attended Boston University and majored in International Marketing.[2]
Career[edit]
Dreyer's first business was Fourth Dimension Marketing, a manufacturer of holograms. Dreyer convinced Disney to let him manufacture a special anniversary watch for them despite their exclusive contract with Seiko. Thus, the first iteration of the Fantasma company was born as a watch manufacturer and Dreyer estimates the company made over 18 million watches. The company achieved an average annual growth of 39%.[2] Dreyer sold the company to Foster Grant in 1999.[3]
After briefly working for Marvin's Magic, Dreyer started the Fantasma Magic company with his then-partner Mark Setteducati in December 2001. The company manufacturers upscale magic sets, magic tricks and novelty toys.[4] The company reported $950,000.00 profit on $10 million in sales in 2010.[5]
In spring of 2006, Dreyer opened the first Fantasma Magic retail store in Manhattan, New York.[6] It also houses The Houdini Museum Of New York. Dreyer, an avid collector of Houdiniana (a passion Dreyer says he inherited from his parents, also avid collectors), amassed the second largest collection of Houdini artifacts in the world and opened the museum as a means to display his collection.[1]
References[edit]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Weiskott, Maria (November 2004). "Collectively Speaking". Playthings.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Field, Matthew (July 2011). "A Fantasmic Vision". The Magic Circular.
- ↑ Stratman, Mike (June 2003). "Dreyer and Setteducati: Fantasma Founders". The Linking Ring. 83 (6): 47.
- ↑ Stratman, Mike (June 2003). "Dreyer and Setteducati: A Fantasmic Vision". The Linking Ring. 83 (6): 47.
- ↑ Ioannou, Lori (March 22, 2010). "Tricks To Keep Growing". Time Magazine. 175 (11): Global 6.
- ↑ Lombardi, Nancy (June 2006). "A Serendipitous Turn Of Events". Toys And Family Entertainment: 42.
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