Back in April of 2021, Potterheads in New York City rejoiced at the news: a new Harry Potter store was to open in Manhattan. Now, I grew up on the Harry Potter series. I’ve been reading them since I was in elementary school. I own all the books and have read them each at least a dozen times, I’ve watched all the movies multiple times, I’ve been to the Wizarding World theme park at Universal Studios, and I’ve even gone to London to visit Platform 9 3/4. So you know that this Harry Potter-obsessed gal had to make her way to the new store once it finally opened on June 3, 2021.

The new store is located at 935 Broadway in the Flatiron District, and it’s certainly no amusement park attraction. No, this is definitely a store through and through entirely dedicated to the sale of Harry Potter-related merchandise. Whether that’s a good or bad thing is entirely up to you!

Getting to HPNY

Currently, the store only opens at 11AM, but you can register for the virtual queue well in advance before that. Outside the store, you can scan a QR code that will automatically place you and your party in line to enter the store, and they will send you a text when it’s about your turn to enter.

The amount of waiting time for the queue varies considerably based on what day and time you arrive. For example, I arrived on a Saturday morning at around 9:30 AM and was the 499th party in line. We got our text to return to the store at about 1PM. However, one of my friends had come the previous Saturday later in the morning and was over 1000th place in line, not getting into the store until 7 or 8PM. And yet another one of my friends showed up on a weekday around noon and got in in just about an hour. I guess it’s obvious that going on a Saturday would be more crowded, but if you want to get in early, definitely head over on a weekday!

What to Expect Inside

As soon as you step into the store, you’re inundated with Harry Potter merchandise. The store is comprised of two floors stuffed to the gills with House merch, clothes, wands, books, and memorabilia. I was impressed with the wide variety of products compared to the more movie-centered merchandise at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios—in addition to having the classic robes, scarves, and wands, the store also carries casual merch like surprisingly well-designed House pajamas, journals, and even pillows.

Of course, it’s been a few years since I was at Universal, so who knows, they’ve probably updated their merchandise offerings since then! In the meantime though, I’ll be marveling at the newly-expanded selection of wands, which range from the standard Harry-Ron-Hermione ones to new House wands like Rowena Ravenclaw’s beautiful diadem-themed one to…one shaped like Hogwarts?

Various sections of the store contain merchandise grouped by theme. For example, a sweets corner modeled after Honeydukes, a library corner with a beautiful book arch for all things stationery and original books in paperback (regrettably, I could not find any hardcovers), and a compact but impressively organized prop-related corner where you can find personalized postcards, letters modeled after the original Hogwarts acceptance letter, and Marauders Maps galore.

Besides merchandise, sprinkled throughout the store are original props from the Harry Potter movies, including Godric Gryffindor’s sword and the golden egg from the Triwizard Tournament. The store has a whimsical design, with details like a massive basilisk curled around the ceiling in the Chamber of Secrets-themed corner and Dumbledore’s enormous griffin sitting in the center of the store’s spiral staircase. They even have photo ops like the iconic British red telephone booth that allows you to access the Ministry of Magic (though this one doesn’t move, sadly).

But my personal favorite has to be the butterbeer bar. If you’ve ever been to Universal Studios, you know that butterbeer is literally just a load of cream soda and liquified sugar, but the bar at the Harry Potter store is so beautiful that it’s worth popping by just to check it out. Hundreds of glowing empty butterbeer bottles arch over the bar, and a floating sign adds to the magical feel. You can stick with the classics and buy a cup of butterbeer—which at $10 is definitely a scam, but at least you get to keep the cup—or venture into the unknown and try your hand at some butterbeer ice cream.

The only real activity at HPNY is a wizarding VR flight experience located on the lower floor, but we didn’t do it, so I can’t say what it was like. In my opinion, if you’re seeking thrills, you’d be much better off trying to get to the Harry Potter amusement park at Universal Studios instead. But if you’re looking more for a fun couple of hours reliving your childhood and spending an exorbitant amount of money on merch, then this store is for you!

In conclusion, if you’re a Harry Potter fan, this store is a must-visit. Even if you’re not looking to spend any money, you can have plenty of fun here! I can’t see myself coming back again unless I wanted to actually purchase something, but I thoroughly enjoyed my experience. All my best to the Potterheads around the world, and I’ll see you at Hogwarts.

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