THE first Museum Context store in the Philippines, which opened on November 9 at SM Mall of Asia (MOA), has already cast its spell on avid Harry Potter fans in Manila.
The launch marked a new chapter for the Museum Context brand which offers immersive Harry Potter shopping experiences, and is the brainchild of Scottish businessman Andrew McRae.
The Manila store is operated by Katsie Llave who first came across the magical retail experience on a “Potter Pilgrimage” visit to Scotland’s capital with her father Carlo. They were blown away by the immersive Museum Context retail concept when they visited the flagship store packed with officially licensed Harry Potter merchandise and curiosities at 40 Victoria Street, the cobbled Victorian street in Edinburgh’s Old Town which is believed to be the inspiration for Diagon Alley.
Museum Context founder Andrew McRae said: “A chance meeting in Edinburgh led to this collaborative venture which will spread some of the Museum Context magic in the Philippines. We are very excited to introduce the brand to the region with the support of SM MOA, and to welcome Carlo and Katsie as partners, and have been blown away by the numbers of visitors we have had since we opened for business two weeks ago. This is our first store in the Philippines and is the next step in our plans to expand the brand in Asia.”
Llave said: “When we started our small events company, it was our dream to create magical moments for fans, by fans. We always pride ourselves in being able to deliver experiences that we ourselves would like to enjoy, and this partnership with Museum Context has given us the perfect opportunity to do just that.
“Every item in this shop has been selected with genuine excitement and dedication to the brand, and we are confident that fans will fall in love with this just as much as we have. Our first weeks of trading have exceeded all our expectations and is proof that the magic lives on.”
Founded in Edinburgh in 2007, and now operating from four outlets across the capital, Museum Context’s award-winning retail concept launched in Hong Kong in 2011.
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