Newport News - What comes to your mind when you think of the word Fantasy?  Perhaps some lost dream that was abruptly ended?  A world without smog filled skies, a time where things were simple and meaningful?  The word can cover a wide variety of things, and a store with a simple but eloquent name should respond in kind.  Enter Fantasy, a store that carries things no other will.

Before you even enter you can see rows upon rows of carefully crafted statues behind the glass.  They take many shapes, from malicious demons clad scantily  to peace loving winged fairies shrouded in a multitude of color.  The only common thing between most of them is the immense detail that goes into each one.  Upon walking into the store you would see clothes, scented candles, various meaningful stones and oils.  While in most stores this would be standard, Fantasy takes it to an entirely different level with rare band t-shirts, candles held up by the ferocious claws of a dragon, and other intricate works.  Upon going to the back you can see what is known as the Armory, and once you get one of the staff to let you in you can surround yourself by four walls full of weaponry.  Slender katanas grace the racks, as well as larger swords such as claymores or scimitars.  Most all of them are very sharp, despite having a wild appearance that is more clearly suited towards ceremonial blades.  There are rows of knives, deadly kama’s hidden in leather sheathes, and ornmental axes on display.  They also keep helmets there, as well as other select pieces of armor and shields. 

Once you get past the beautiful weaponry, you can take a look at the hookah’s and incense burners near the counters.  Rows of intricately made glass pipes dance before your e yes, but take notice of the very clear warning signs near them.  Any mention of m isusing them, whether serious or jokingly, will bind you from purchasing any pipes in Fantasy’s.  Also take note that they have found and prosecuted four shoplifters in just the last month.  This is not a place you want to fool around in, it’s there for your benifet but that does not stop the friendly staff from being professional as well. 

The second floor exposes an entirely different side to Fantasy.  You’ll be instantly greeting by various pop culture posters as you walk up, and once you get to the top you’ll see any music lovers dream.  Rows and rows of video tapes and music.  The room in the back is chock full of thousands of CDs – over 40,000 to be exact.  There are tons of posters as well, and a small section devoted entirely to live tapes and performances.  You’ll also find buttons behind a solid glass shelf, and tons of nostalgic toys from the past.  They even have a section of old school comics, and they are offering them at an astoundingly low price.  Finally you can see shelves full of classic movies and shows, some that will bring a smile to your face and some that you probably have never heard of.  However, if you are lucky enough to be there on a day when a band is playing, you would find one of the shelves before the movie section pushed away to reveal a hidden door.  Upon entering you will be greeted with chairs, and tapestries strewn about to give it an intimate atmosphere.  It’s not too big, just big enough to keep it personal and private while also allowing some decent sound to get out.

33: Give us a rundown of Fantasy’s history.
Mitch Kirsner:  I was working at the shipyard and also had a part time job when I opened in a local flea market in the summer of 1985.  I was only open on the weekends.  The stuff I was selling then was my collection of LPs, comics, and stuff I picked up at yard sales and flea markets.  I bought some boxes of old hats and gloves from my part time job and then convinced them to let me go to a trade show in New York City when they went there on a buying trip.  I paid my own way and started going to there to make purchases on a regular basis.  I flew cheap and stayed at cheap dives - the Y, the Chelsea.  About a year into the flea market I had quit my part time job, but then there was a massive layoff at the shipyard.  Since the flea market was a four day a week affair, and I had only been open on the weekend, I began opening four days a week.  By then I had added jewelry, cassettes, LPs, adult toys and videos.  After about two years in the flea market I moved across the street and became a full time store.  I added a large selection of CDs in pretty short order and increased all of our lines.  Most of the store was focused on indie/alternative music; I got a  lot of requests for metal.  Since I was a big music fan and went to shows at least a few times a week I focused on both the music I was familiar with as well as the music my customers were asking for.  As the store's popularity and stock grew I knew I needed to buy my own location, but it took a couple years more to save and find something I could afford.  When the Parker Piano company moved and put their building up for sale I put everything I had into a down payment and getting the building ready.  Quite a few loyal customers brought boxes and trucks to help me move.  Fantasy has been growing in leaps and bounds since then, I was told a few years ago that Fantasy was considered one of the top ten independent record stores on the east coast.

33:  What inspired  you to start a store that fulfills a niche? 
MK: Hopefully Fantasy fills a few niches, but it was always a dream from a small kid on to have a gift store.  While I carry a lot of items I find appealing, most of what I carry are items that customers have requested.

33:  Why did you start the free local shows?
MK:  I love music.  I don't just like music a little - I have this overwhelming passion for it.  Of course, if it's music I don't like I tend to hate it just as passionately [laughs].  Many of my friends are musicians, and it was cool to let them be able to play at the store.  I started getting calls from bands about doing signings at the store, at my old location KMFDM, Shadow Project, Exodus, and others did signings, once I moved to the new location I had room to have shows and managed to get some regional national acts like the Slackers, Crooked Fingers, and Jason Webley.  I couldn't begin to name all the local acts that have played.

33: How has the community responded to them?
MK: Not that well.   Attendance is generally fairly sparse, even customers in the store will often not go in to see the band despite all the encouragement we can muster.  It doesn't matter to me.  It gives a venue for local acts that might not be able to find one, and I will support music I like because that is what I do.  This area doesn't really support original music that well, but I'm not going to book cover bands at Fantasy.

33:  What do you offer that other stores do not?
MK: Special orders, local management, an original mix of items for sale that are edgy, provocative, and fun.

33: Tell us a little about yourself, Mitch.
MK: I'm a local, born and raised in the Hampton/Newport News area.  I've had every kind of job that you can imagine, and I've done the best I can to learn from both the good and bad.  Most of what I know about business I learned working for a cousin of mine and doing the exact opposite.  I learned a lot about music as a DJ while I was in the service, and I've been lucky enough to travel overseas more than once.  I wish everyone spent  time overseas traveling - it would help folks learn that there's a world out there, and it's not always just about us.  I have a work ethic which seems to be an endangered species these days…

33: Any exciting news for the future of Fantasy?
MK: As long as there's a future I will do the best that I can to make it exciting.

33: Anything you would like to add?
MK: Fantasy isn't really about me at all, it's about what folks want and are looking for.  My customers are the greatest.  It's not easy running a business and there are a lot of bumps and grinds.  I'm not the easiest guy to get along with, yet many of these folks have kept at it for the full twenty-five years that I have been in business.  On e other thing.  One year into the flea market business was very slow, and I decided to close.  I had a going out of business sale and reduced all my merchandise to just a little bit more than I paid for it.  In a couple days I made more than I had in the previous month.  That changed my mind about closing and ever since I have tried to offer my merchandise at the lowest price that I could.  We do have to maintain the building and employees and operating expenses, but I can assure you that most anyone else that has the type of business that I do has a whole lot more in the bank than I do.

Between the unique merchandise and the equally interesting owner, Fantasy has more fun to offer than most of the stores in the area.  Mitch is a huge Tom Waits fan as well, so if you’re into that be sure to give him a visit and have a chat with him.  I think you’ll find his enthusiasm endearing, as 33 photographer Michael Bailey discovered.  He may put on a mean front, but he’s a kind guy deep down.  Speaking of that, he hit the nail on the head in the interview.  The support the local music is getting is paltry at best, so let’s prove him wrong and take part in the community!  Don’t forget to support local businesses as well.  You won’t regret visiting Fantasy.

If you want to know more about Fantasy or Mitch, check these out.  The videos on his YouTube account are super rare – you won’t find them anywhere else!

FANTASY
10117 Jefferson Avenue
Newport News, Virginia 23605
(757)595-1259
Fax (757)596-2720
FantasyVA.com
email: fantasyva@aol.com
Be our MySpace friend: MySpace.com/FantasyVA
Over 1,000 items "From the Unique to the Bizarre"
25th Anniversary July 2010
Supporting l ocal music since 1985.
Check out over 500 exclusive videos from local shows, venues, and more.
YouTube.com/Profile?User=Mitch26

By Correspondent: Ryan Mason

Ryan Mason was born in Hampton in 1989.  He grew up listening to the generic bands on the radio before discovering classic rock and expanding his horizons.  Now you'll find him listening to just about anything, from Pink Floyd to the Sound of Animals Fighting.  Naturally this lead to him playing music himself, and he is the proud owner of a Gibson SG and a 5-string bass guitar.  Unfortunately, he sucks at them both, but hey, there is always Magazine33!  Some other bands he likes are Stiff Little Fingers, the Velvet Underground, Bob Dylan, Incubus, Hendrix, Lamb of God, the Doors and Gorillaz.