Are you a Harry Potter fan living in the New York area? You are? And you want to send me your 3,000 page Dumbledore fan-fiction? Don’t do that, please don’t.
I ask not out of genuine interest (I have none), but out of a deep sense of duty to the Harry Potter community. Actually, that’s not true, either. But I do have news. And it does concern New York-based Potter fans.
That’s right, the first ever flagship Harry Potter store is to open in New York this summer. Squee! The store will be the largest official Pottershop in the world, encompassing a floor space of 20,000 sq. ft (yikes). Those planning on making the pilgrimage will find their Pottermecca located at 935 Broadway, next to the Flatiron Building.
A couple of thoughts here. One, my delight that I’m not writing another unofficial promotional press release for Disney (I’m doing it for Warner Bros.). Two, my genuine surprise that this is happening in 2020, and not 2007. There hasn’t been a proper Potter picture in cinemas for nearly a decade – no, I’m not counting Fantastic Grindelwalds and Where To Bin Them. Though now that you mention it, the prequel trilogy’s (a cursed moniker) Manhattan setting gives this more rationale than I’d initially acknowledged.
Third thought for the day (a couple didn’t meet my quota): Spin is everything. I think PR or Warner Bros. – whoever wrote the headline – should’ve gone with “Biggest Ever Harry Potter Store To Open in New York.” They’ve opted for the comparatively drab “Warner Bros. To Open First Ever Harry Potter Flagship Store In New York.” Given that they haven’t nabbed the former, and I have a headline shaped vacancy, I’ll gladly take my 10 words over their 13. Much obliged Warner Bros. – sack your marketing team.
