Overview
There's a look that comes over Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley's faces when they enter certain establishments in Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade. It's a look of pure wonder that stores dedicated to magical creatures, wizarding wands, enchanted sweets and more actually exist. You probably shared the same expression when you devoured J.K. Rowling's books and glued your eyes to their big-screen adaptations — and while us ordinary muggles can't actually peruse the shelves of the Magical Menagerie, Ollivanders, Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes or Honeydukes (sorry), we can stock up on all things Harry Potter at The Store of Requirement.
Named after Hogwarts' Room of Requirement, The Store of Requirement first opened in Samford, outside of Brisbane, last year. And, this week, its second store opened on Smith Street in Collingwood. Yes, it opened yesterday, on Harry Potter's birthday, which is the same date that the Brisbane store opened last year. For those counting at home, the Boy Who Lived will be 38 in 2018 (although the novels that tell his tale first hit stores in 1997, and the film adaptations came to cinemas from 2001).
The magical store specialises in the kind of objects that'll please even a dark wizard. If you'd like to wave Newt Scamander's wand around, dress in Triwizard Tournament uniforms, try to defy temporal boundaries with your own time-turner or carry around your belongings in a Gryffindor tote, you'll find them here. Cauldron-shaped cookie jars, Slytherin umbrellas, golden snitch pens, your own Marauder's Map — they're on offer as well. While you're perusing the store, you can even sip on a mug of Butter Brew.
The unsurprisingly popular spot has an equally unsurprisingly popular online shop, so if you can make it to the physical store, you can stock up on Quidditch equipment, Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans and more. And, thankfully, even muggles have free shipping (though we can't promised it'll come down the flue).
In Brisbane, The Store of Requirement also hosts events, including birthday parties for young HP buffs as well as regular herbology classes. Melburnians, cross your broomsticks that they'll also make the jump down south — and Sydneysiders, start casting those accio spells to get your own store closer to home, or just keep practising your apparating.
Find The Store of Requirement at 6 Smith Street, Collingwood. It's open from 12pm–7pm Wednesday–Friday, and 10am–5pm Saturday and Sunday.
Images: Giulia Morlando