July 7, 2000
By Jae-Ha Kim
Chicago Sun-Times
Come midnight tonight, thousands
of Chicago area parents will accompany their children to bookstores to
pick up Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, the latest installment
of the children's literary sensation.
Many bookstores are offering
some sort of Potter-related festivity, whether it's re-creating Hogwarts
School of Witchcraft and Wizardry--the unusual school Harry attends--or
serving up Harry's favorite eats.
Here are a few area stores
that will be celebrating the release Potter-style. While some may open
before midnight, the new Potter book will not be available for purchase
until 12:01 a.m.
* Magic Tree Bookstore, 141 N. Oak Park Ave., Oak Park, (708)
848-0770.
Opening at 11:30 tonight
until everyone's gone. A magician will perform before the book goes on
sale at 12:01 a.m. And the Magic Tree will serve Harry's favorite treats,
including the non-alcoholic Butter Beer and jellybean-esque Bertie Botts'
Every Flavor Beans.
Tip to the wise: Patrons
will have to navigate their way through a bunch of mock railroad tracks
until they find track 9 3/4 (the one Harry rides to get to Hogwarts), which
will lead them into the store.
You won't look out of place
in costume. Some staff members plan on dressing up, too.
* 57th Street Books, 1301 E. 57th, (773) 684-1300.
The store has extended its
hours to 1 a.m. to accommodate Potter fans. A party will commence at 11
tonight. The festivities will include magic wand decorating and a scavenger
hunt for items such as Potter patches and stickers, plus quizzes and a
raffle for Potter books and gift certificates. There will be "monstrous"
gooey refreshments for the kids, fruits and vegetables for parents.
* The Book Stall at Chestnut Court, 811 Elm St., Winnetka, (847)
446-0882.
The Book Stall will open
at 11:45 tonight and remain open until around 1:30 a.m. A giant ribbon
will be on the front door. Cookies and milk will be served inside to the
500 or so Potter fans expected to show up. Some staff members will be dressed
up as Potter characters, and there also will be giveaways.
* Barbara's Bookstore, 1350 N. Wells, (312) 642-5044.
Open at 11:45 tonight. Planned
are trivia contests, crossword puzzles and free food, such as kid-friendly
Mars bars and Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans. Giveaway winners will take
home the book that started Pottermania: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's
Stone (in paperback).
The store also will host
a party at noon Saturday, featuring food, contests and a magician.
* Anderson'sBookshop, 123 W. Jefferson Ave., Naperville, (630)
355-2665.
Store will open at 11 p.m.
and close after everyone has left. To keep the youngsters busy till 12:01
when the books go on sale, the staff will conduct trivia contests.
* BordersBooks & Music, 49 S. Waukegan Rd., Deerfield, (847)
559-1999.
Borders Deerfield will begin
a Potter Party at 10 p.m. and stay open until 1 a.m.
To start the evening off,
children will be divided into their respective Hogwarts classes. They can
enter trivia contests, make wizard hats, design magical beasts, learn how
to make potions and other surprises that are being guarded as secretively
as the book's plot.
All Borders will sell Harry
Potter and the Goblet of Fire for 40 percent off the publisher's list
price.
* BordersBooks & Music, 909 N. Elmhurst Rd., Mount Prospect,
(847) 342-6421.
The store will remain open
until 1 a.m. Those who'd rather sleep may stop by at 8 a.m. Saturday. From
8:30 to 10 a.m., the store will be hosting a Wizards' Breakfast (pancakes
and orange juice, $1.99). A costume contest starts at 1 p.m. Giveaways
will include Potter pens and tattoos.
* BordersBooks & Music, 336 S. Route 59, Naperville, (630)
637-9700.
The store will open at midnight
for about half an hour. At 9 a.m. Saturday, the store will reopen. The
cafe--which has long been sold out for its breakfast feast--will be transformed
into the four houses at Hogwarts: Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, Slytherin and
Gryffindor.
Message-bearing owls, Quidditch-style
broomsticks, quaffles and the Snitch all will be part of the decor. A magician
will be on hand to entertain patrons.
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The online delivery service
Kozmo .com offers an alternative for folks who want Harry Potter and
the Goblet of Fire in a hurry without the hassle of going to the bookstore.
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Read more about Harry Potter
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