Harry Potter took the literary realm by storm some two decades ago; in the years since, he and his magical world have become a marketing dynamo. This summer fans will have a new way to revisit the books and characters — the Harry Potter flagship store, due to open next to New York City’s famed Flatiron building on Broadway.
Developers were mum on all the details but promise the 20,000 square feet of retail space will offer interactive experiences and Instagram-worthy photo opps, along with products from the spinoff "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them." The store will set an opening date later in the year.
Fans have long been able to experience Harry Potter through the blockbuster books, the related movies and a play. But lately it’s no longer limited to the imagination: Potterheads can put on the robe, pick up the wand and step into the fantasy world at places like Universal Studios in Orlando and Hollywood — home to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter experiences — and in London, where they can take a movie studio tour or buy memorabilia at Platform 9 ¾ retail shops.
Millennials have grown up with all things Harry Potter; as the fantasy land around the boy wizard proves, it’s something they aren’t quite willing to shake. As they have kids of their own, Harry Potter seems ready for a redo.