No need for a Hogwarts acceptance letter, a train ride at King's Cross, or go through a secret passage to Diagon Alley as everyone can now step into the Wizarding World with the opening of the Harry Potter flagship store in New York.
Located at the Flatiron building at 935 Broadway, the 20,000 sq. ft., three-storey space houses the largest collection of "Harry Potter" and "Fantastic Beasts" merchandise in the world. A wizarding epicenter, the look and interior of the store is inspired by the Warner Bros. Studios 2000s movie franchise based on the best-selling novels by controversial author J.K. Rowling.
Among its features are the iconic London phone booth (one of the known entry ways to the Ministry of Magic), a confectionery store inspired by Honeydukes, a statue of a flying Fawkes, and a wand station that is unique to the store. Muggles with face masks flocked to Manhattan on June 3, 2021, the store's opening, to feel the magic for themselves and here's what they say.
Filipina artist and writer for @fomofeed Paola Samoa says her favorite aspect of the store is the Minalima showcase, a gallery of the graphic arts present in the Wizarding World.
"I love how with every typeface, every colorway, every motif, layout, placement, they've added a crucial layer to this fictional world and stayed true to its DNA," Paola describes the works of Miraphora Mira and Eduardo Lima, the artists behind the graphic elements in the films. "The Black family tree wallpaper at Grimmauld Place? I want that."
Evanna Lynch, the actress behind Luna Lovegood, recommends everyone to try the Butterbeer saying it is "vegan and amazing."
Cosplayer Jocelyn (@slytherinsera) posted, "It felt like Christmas morning and New Years and my birthday all rolled into one."
Carla (@giojammies), a self-confessed Gryfffindor says, "the best part of the store is the people I got to experience it with... We are here for friendship. The sense of community and belonging. That's the real magic."
Now, we are jealous. If only there's a floo network from Manila to Manhattan.