Athens-area businesses have gotten only a small taste of the Harry Potter fortune, despite the promotional efforts made by area bookstores.
The seventh and final Harry Potter book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
went on sale July 21, 2007 at 12:01 a.m.
While the book sold a record 8.3 million copies in the first day, according to the publisher, Scholastic Corporation, Little Professor employee John Strickland said that only 125 people pre-ordered copies from the store.
Follett's University Bookstore had approximately 150 copies of the book pre-ordered, but has now sold a total of 300 copies of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows earning $6,900 in total sales, said manager Todd Wood.
The book is also available at CVS Pharmacy for $34.99 and at Wal-Mart for $17.87.
Since Specialty Books and College Book Store sell only textbooks and specialty books, they are not selling Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows said the bookstores' employees. Even though these two stores are not selling the final Harry Potter book, they did not say that they are missing out on valuable profits.
There are many other bookstores around Athens selling Harry Potter
said Specialty Books manager Toby Weisend, so we are not diving into selling just that one book when people could get it at a store that is known to sell those types of books.
Little Professor amplified its advertising for the book by creating a large Harry Potter window display and playing the first four Harry Potter movies at all times. The store also celebrated the book's release by opening at midnight, offering special promotions to its customers ' giving the first 10 people in line a 50 percent discount instead of the normal 40 percent ' and having raffles and prizes available.
Follett's blocked off half of the store in honor of Harry Potter and had a pizza party with raffles and prizes ' one of which was the entire Harry Potter series.
The release of the new Harry Potter book has not triggered any extra security measures at either of the bookstores, Strickland said, but it did cause a busy weekend for employees.
17
Archives
Jessica Will
200707264614midsize.jpg
Sydney Marrs (10) dressed as "Hermione Granger" and Ava Miller (15) dressed as "Ginny Weasley" await the handing out of copies of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" in Follet's University Bookstore Saturday, July 21.
