Myer to open Harry Potter store in Melbourne

Myer is opening the largest Harry Potter store in Australia at its flagship store in Melbourne, as it looks to tap into renewed interest in the series from the staging of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.

Opening later this week and running until the end of 2020, the store will span the entire 500sqm basement floor of the CBD store, recreating famous locations from the books, such as Platform 9 ¾.

Myer chief customer officer Geoff Ikin said the concept store will allow Australians to enjoy Harry Potter-themed products and photo opportunities without travelling internationally. 

“The Harry Potter concept store at Myer Melbourne will create a unique experience that cannot be found anywhere else in Australia, delivering an exciting world of exploration for fans to discover,” said Ikin, according to Better Homes and Gardens.

“We know our customers are some of the most enthusiastic and devoted Harry Potter fans in the world, so we are thrilled to bring them the largest Harry Potter concept store.”

The department store recently revealed a “modest improvement” in its full year under new chief executive John King, despite trading in a difficult environment. 

According to Myer, most of the improvement came from reduced costs, primarily rent and wages, rather than an increase in sales – which fell 3.5 per cent to $2.99 billion year on year. 

However, net profit after tax was up 2.2 per cent over the same period to $33.2 million.

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