Anna Daniels
Accio Harry Potter merchandise! That’s what you’ll be saying when the first ever flagship Harry Potter store is opened by Warner Bros. in New York City this summer.
A press release has announced the opening of an official Harry Potter store that will become a permanent fixture and inevitable tourist attraction in the iconic Flatiron building at 935 Broadway. It will feature the the largest collection of Harry Potter (and Fantastic Beasts) merchandise in the world, including some items that you’ll only be able to get at this store. Find out more below.
The official Harry Potter store was announced by Warner Bros. today, teasing an opening sometime this summer. Sarah Roots, SVP Worldwide Tours and Retail, Warner Bros., offered up this statement:
“This will be the largest dedicated Harry Potter store in the world and will become a must-visit fan destination where Harry Potter enthusiasts can engage with interactive experiences and numerous photo opportunities as they step into the magic. We are very excited to be opening in New York. It’s the ideal city in which to launch with so many dedicated Wizarding World fans, a cutting-edge retail environment and a community that embraces innovative experiences.”
Filling the store will be items like personalized robes and Bertie Bott’s Every Flavor Beans, as well as a brand-new range of house wands with a design exclusive to the store. However, taking a look at the outside of the Harry Potter store, the design is rather underwhelming:
Perhaps they’re limited by the design of the building itself, but it would have been nice if the store could have been made to look like it belonged in the Wizarding World, like a Weasley’s Wizarding Wheezes or something like that. But maybe Warner Bros. wants to keep that experience for their theme park attractions at Universal Studios.
Also, there’s no mention of a cafe within the store, which would be a real missed opportunity to sell some butterbeer and other wizarding treats. But if you look closely at the windows in the mock-ups of the store above, you’ll see one of them mentions “The Hatch,” and has text mentioning specialty coffees and butterbeer, as well as another window teasing ice cream. The design would also seem to indicate there will be a walk-up window to get these treats instead of having to go into the store.
The store is also said to feature “a number of exciting retail experiences that evoke the magic of the Wizarding World,” so this should be better than your average Muggle retail experience and will hold over fans who won’t make it to the Harry Potter theme parks for awhile.
Cool Posts From Around the Web: Written by: Slash
