WPCNR BOOK CHAT. By The Church Lady. July 21, 2007: The young wizards and wizardesses and their surrogates and parents jammed Border's at the White Plains Pavilion Friday night at midnight to get their hands on the last Harry Potter book. Three hundred persons by WPCNR estimate in pointy hats, glasses, wearing and very good natured milled among the aisles at Borders, acquiring silver bracelets and milling about trying to find the orange bracelet line to plunk down their $22.50 to get the last of the Harry Potter phenomena. Parents with their Potter apprentices in tow, parents assigned to pick up their teen daughters' or sons' copies of the Potter tome, grumbled they did not know where the orange bracelet line was or where the silver bracelet line was.
Under the Spell of Harry Potter at Border's, White Plains Pavilion Mall at Midnight. And the fans were still coming in.
But at midnight, as if the young wizard himself had waved a wand, magically 300 persons purchased and paid their money and picked up "The book." It was a promo person's dream come true. Every one who arrived to purchase the book had to reserve it in advance. They did. They came. They milled. They bought! WPCNR figures Borders cleared $7,000 in book sales in 20 minutes! It was magic that only American still creates: the ringing of the cash register for a pastime most young people have forgotten, reading!
Border's Hostess Attempting to Organize the Potter fans in two lines which milled and weaved and snaked around the store.
10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 BUY! Fans waited patiently not believing Border's could handle the 300 plus customers in 20 minutes but they did! The Wand did it!
Costumed Little Wizards and Wizardettes with parents lined up to buy after the Potter Countdown to Midnight.
After Paying, Potter Fans had their bracelets snipped off and the Hot Book was turned over to them. Many told the CitizeNetReporter they were going to read the book tonight so no one would spoil the ending for them.
Books Going Like Hotcakes
I Got It! Parent deputized to pick up the Potter holds the precious booty.
Not since the series books of the mid-twentieth century: The Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew, Tom Corbett, Tom Swift, Tarzan, and Flash Gordon, The Bobbsey Twins, has a series of books captured the fancy of youth like J. K. Rowland's Harry Potter
WPCNR asked one mom in the winding line what was it about Harry Potter?
As one mom in the orange bracelet line said, "Thank heaven for J K Rowland, she's taught a whole generation how to read!"
She may be right!
Designated Parent Potter Pickerupper scores big time points with teen daughter for securing the Potter. A scene repeated in many households in White Plains tonight. The Teen said on seeing the book, "I love you. You're the world's best Dad!" At least tonight.
