Nestled beneath the Johnny Cash Museum in Nashville is House of Cards, an establishment owned by Bill Miller that owes its creation to The Magic Castle in Hollywood. Bill first went to The Castle when he was 8 years old and became enraptured with the place. As an adult, he became a member of the Academy of Magical Arts, and wanted to bring that type of magic experience to the South. Miller, who also owns the Johnny Cash Museum, thought there was an opportunity to do just that in the building’s basement. He reached out to local magician Jason Michaels to help find the original roster of performers, and House of Cards opened in April 2018.
A 1930s Speakeasy in Downtown Nashville
Guests have to walk through the Johnny Cash Museum to get to the venue. The general manager, Joey Martinez, is usually there to usher those wearing formalwear wandering around the first floor of the museum (like The Castle, House of Cards has a dress code) through a nondescript entrance. “Once you open up that door, you’re transferred into another world,” Joey said of House of Card’s black-and-white chevron floors and red drapes. “It doesn’t look anything like Nashville, or anything that belongs downtown.”
The 10,000-square-foot space has a 1930s speakeasy feel. It houses a 70-seat magic theater as well as a restaurant area with two close-up tables interspersed for those who want to see some magic between courses. Guests check in at the host stand at the end of the hallway and are then given a tour of the establishment, which includes an outdoor area with a 19-foot waterfall and a ghost pianist named Thurston, who Joey likes to call a cousin of Irma’s, the ghost pianist at The Magic Castle. There’s also the Blackstone Room, which is full of Harry Blackstone memorabilia that Bill has collected over the years. Other artifacts found within the venue’s walls include a playing card collection going back to 1490, vintage magic posters, and a handcuff device reportedly created, owned, and used by Harry Houdini.
Magic Seven Days a Week
People order drinks and eat their dinner first, which Joey describes as “fine dining American cuisine.” About 30 minutes after doors open, three of the 15 local magicians who work at House of Cards head to the close-up tables to perform, swapping in and out between the two spots so there’s a consistent flow of magic for visitors. After dinner, every guest has a ticket to the Carter the Great showroom, where they’re treated to a 25- to 30-minute parlor-style show.
For some guests, this show is a surprise. “Our reservations are booked through OpenTable,” Joey explained. “So some people know that there’s magic here. Some people do not. And so if they are not ready for magic, the magician needs to grab their attention.”
To that end, Joey makes sure that, in addition to sleight-of-hand skills, visiting magicians who work in the theater have the chops to win over a sometimes reluctant audience. He is successful in doing so. “House of Cards is breeding magic fans,” he said. “When they leave here, no matter what town they’re in, they’re like, ‘Oh my God, I need to see more! I need to see more!’ They’re getting introduced to a magic world they didn’t know they wanted to be a part of.”
Joey also books out the theater in week-long stints, so repeat customers see new magic every time they visit. And the magic isn’t expected to stop anytime soon: House of Cards continues to bring magic to Nashville, and continues to convert its guests into lifelong magic fans.
Photos courtesy of House of Cards
House of Cards
A dining adventure like no other in Nashville. Discover a hidden underground space where classic American cuisine meets the art of illusion. As you enter through a secret tunnel, you'll find a stunning interior filled with antique magic artifacts and a multimillion-dollar collection of European antiques.