Larchmont Ready for Debut of Harry Potter V:
Anderson's & Larchmont Store Opening Early

by Judy Silberstein; additional photos & reporting from Irene Byrne Ohl

(updated June 21, original publication June 18, 2003) Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, book five in the popular series by J.K. Rowling went on sale starting Saturday, June 21, and Larchmont was ready. Anderson’s Book Shop, on 96 Chatsworth Avenue, and the Larchmont Store, at 1914 Palmer Avenue, both opened before 8 am to accommodate the many Harry Potter fans eager to start on the latest volume.

It wasn’t early enough for Charlotte Ohl who arrived at 6:45 AM at the Larchmont Store with her mother, Irene Byrne Ohl, and set up chairs, books and a thermos of hot tea. “It was a great experience for my sixth grader, who grinned from ear to ear when Eric and Sammy opened the store an extra 15 minutes earlier for her,” reported Ohl. “Then she politely extracted herself from the adults conversing over the Harry phenomena, planted herself in the front seat of our car and immediately immersed herself in J.K. Rowling's world.”

One father purchased three books because he had been shut out of a midnight sale at a giant chain. “The experience of ordering, waiting and buying locally will now be a cherished childhood memory for Charlotte,” said Ohl. She recommended, “Shop & buy locally and warm your heart with our great shop owners!”

Anderson’s also opened early, allowing a few of the “earliest birds” to sneak in before 8:00 AM to pick up orders. The first 100 customers coming to pick up a Harry Potter book received a bonus – a metal Harry Potter bookmark valued at $5.00, according to Annabelle Siegel, the store manager. Anyone buying one of the books will also be eligible to enter the raffle for a DVD of the movie Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, based on the second in the best-selling series.

The store had ordered 260 of the hardback books. Sixth grader John Goodman (left) got one of the earlier copies. “Saturday should be a madhouse,” forecast Siegel with a laugh. "The books sell steadily throughout the year – to children and adults,” she said. But it’s been almost three years since the last book chronicling the education and adventures of the young wizard - Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire - came out on July 8, 2000.

“We should have enough books to make it through the first day,” Larchmont Store owner Eric Nussbaum said. The books will be sold at the store’s “everyday 10% discount” price. “If it’s anything like the fourth book, we should have a big crowd,” he predicted. “It was among the top five biggest days we’ve ever had in the twelve years I’ve been in charge.”

For Harry Potter IV’s debut in 2000, Anderson’s was closed for renovations, but that didn’t stop the store from participating in the event. “We ordered the book, notified everyone who had ordered, and had signs directing everybody up the alley to the back door to get the book,” said Siegel. “I was really happy, everybody showed up,” she recalled.

This time, the store was open and there were books, balloons – and a crowd of Harry Potter devotees lined up at the cash register.