It is the first shop in the world, with exclusive products and exciting experiences
Even if the last film in the series was released in 2011, the Harry Potter myth continues to beat in the hearts of many young people around the world. On the 3rd of June the Harry Potter Shop, the world’s first flagship store of the famous wizard with glasses, will open in New York. To announce the historic opening, Warner Bros. decided to share a post on Facebook in which it also showed the first photos of the shop. The location was not chosen at random, as it will open its doors at number 935, a number reminiscent of platform 9 and ¾ of King’s Cross station from which the train to Hogwarts departs.
The venue is one of the most famous in the city, as it is located in front of the Flatiron Building, an iron skyscraper in the Broadway district made famous by Spiderman. Proof that location also plays a decisive role in marketing.
The shop will be a huge 2,000 square metres, three floors and 15 different themed areas. But it is in the products and displays that Harry Potter fans will find satisfaction. There will be exclusive items on the shelves that cannot be found in any other shop, such as the characters’ uniforms or the magic wands from the films or books. As you go up the floors you will be able to see with your own eyes the memorabilia used on the sets and, if you wish, you can have your name or other words engraved on the diaries or pens.
But what distinguishes the Harry Potter Shop from any other toy shop is the range of experiences, from food (there is a space inspired by the Honeydukes frog where you can enjoy sweets and candy) to virtual reality (the staff have already set up a virtual reality simulator) and shows. In short, a real attraction suitable even for those who are not big fans of the fantasy genre.
Several Harry Potter theme parks exist to date, but a physical shop was still missing. Despite the fact that New York is one of the most vaccinated cities in the world, you have to comply with the anti-contamination rules to get in. A QR code must be scanned to enter the virtual queue and, once the waiting list has been drawn up, guests will be notified by phone with the green light to enter. In the meantime, in addition to the Facebook page, there is also an e-commerce site where you can buy some of the products on display in the shop.
Matteo Melani
