Anastasia Koutsivitis '25
A ticket for the Hogwarts Express or trip to Diagon Alley is unnecessary, as the Harry Potter Store in New York City has recently opened its doors to everyone. It is located at 935 Broadway in Manhattan’s Flatiron district, with 20,000 square feet and three-stories. The store has the largest collection of Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts products in the world! The flagship store had its grand opening in the summer, on June 3rd of 2021. You would think the line to enter was four blocks long, as the Harry Potter franchise is so globally beloved, however there is a virtual queue in order to manage capacity. To join the virtual queue, visitors must scan the QR code with their smartphones. The code is displayed outside the building each day at 9:00 AM, and the store will send them a notification when it is time to enter. Upon entering a piece of the Wizarding World universe, you are immediately greeted by Fawkes, Professor Dumbledore’s Phoenix, suspended over Harry Potter New York mugs, shirts, and hats. The room adjacent to the New York section contains items sorted by the Hogwarts houses : Gryffindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff. The walls hold screens that show quidditch players, and original props from the movie are displayed. Transported into Olllivanders wand shop in Diagon Alley, the wand section has more than 50 interactive character wands and even exclusive ones, such as the Golden Snitch wand. Modeled after the entrance to Dumbledore’s study, the center of the store has a huge Griffin perched on a stone column with a staircase spiraling downwards. There is an inscription on the column from the “Goblet of Fire”, reading, “It matters not what someone is born, but what they grow to be.” Downstairs there are books, an art room featuring MinaLima pieces (the iconic movie graphic design duo) , merchandise, and jewelry. What makes this store truly unique are the Harry Potter decorations and small details, from Hermione’s wand holding up the handrails, to the giant snake Nagini hung on the ceiling. Near the exit of the store, there is a Butterbeer bar, selling the classic drink from the books, as well as other treats. These are only a few of the 15 different themed rooms. Finally, there are two VR experiences. This includes “Chaos at Hogwarts', a fantastical journey to the school, and “Wizards take flight”, a battle while flying on a broom. Whether a fan of Harry Potter or not, for just one day this store casts a magical spell on muggle life.
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