Whimsic Alley: LA's HARRY POTTER store

Aw, blast-ended skrewts! Here I was, all set up to do a post about Santa Monica's Whimsic Alley, the only store in the world devoted to Harry Potter merchandise... And then I see that those Chizpurfles over at the LA Weekly have scooped me in their latest issue.

I make my way around, peeping into cubbyholes set up like a series of individual shops. First on my list is a wand, the most vital accessory in Harry’s world. It is said that “a wand chooses its master.” I step into Phoenix Wands, one of the “shops” inside the Alley, which is stacked with boxes that cradle beautifully carved wands. My fingers linger over them, and I finally select the one I first rest my fingers on. “It’s strange, but I have always noticed the same thing when the wands are laid out. People see, feel and go through different wands, but they somehow pick the one that their fingers rest on the first time,” says store manager, Erin Bise.

It really is an amazing store, and even if you're not a Potter maniac the place is worth a visit just to gawk. In case you're not currently able to disappearate over there, here is a video tour from Youtube user Bigd1971:



Got a tip for Monsters and Rockets? Want to contribute to the site? Send us an email.

Technocrati tags: [Harry Potter store][Whimsic Alley]