Harry Potter and the Midnight Magic
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In order to help member booksellers who may run low on Harry Potter tomorrow, the Northern California Independent Booksellers Association is stocking some 1,400 copies of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince in its San Francisco offices that booksellers can draw on beginning today. NCIBA executive director Hut Landon thanked Gloria Genee at Partners/West, who "wanted our booksellers to have quick access" to the book for restocking. Stores must have Partners/West accounts. NCIBA offices will be open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
That's not all Partners/West is doing. The wholesaler will keep weekday working hours this weekend at its Renton, Wash., warehouse to allow immediate restocking of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. Booksellers who want to pick up copies of the book at the warehouse should call 800-563-2385 between 8 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. to schedule a time.
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As we noted earlier this week, the promising remake of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, which opens today, threatens to be overwhelmed by Pottermania, an issue explored by yesterday's Wall Street Journal. After noting the film industry's long slump in box office sales, the piece enumerates some of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory's special challenges: a "dark take" on the material that might not please parents; a Johnny Depp performance that "evokes comparisons to Michael Jackson"; and most ironically, "intense competition from one of the world's most antiquated consumer products: a book."
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This evening Northfield, Minn., transforms itself into the village of Cowsmeade. Among the highlights: ArtOrg is becoming Station 9 3/4 and will exhibit original artwork by Mary Grandpre, illustrator of the Harry Potter books. Some of the artwork displayed involves Harry Potter. River City Books will open at 10 p.m. as Flourish & Blotts and hold a costume contest and offer treats.
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Branch's Bookshop, Chapel Hill, N.C., which closed last weekend but is putting on a Harry Potter party at a nearby toy and hobby store (Wednesday's Shelf Awareness), hopes to raise some money at the party "for the store's possible reopening," according to the Daily Tar Heel.
The student paper also reported that the store lost its lease after falling behind on rent payments, an amount that reached $90,000, including late fees.
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In addition to contests, food and games at its Harry Potter party tonight, the University Bookstore at the University of Oregon, Eugene, will offer a 20% discount on all general books excluding textbooks. The event runs from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m.