A busier than usual Friday night on Zagreb's famous Tkalciceva streets on April 27, 2018, as the Here Be Dragons geek shop opened at Number 34. It drew quite a crowd.
The opening night of any new business is always a nerve-racking event. Was there enough PR? Will anybody show up? How will your product be perceived? After months of planning, constructions and putting together the final touches, your project baby is suddenly out of your control and in the hands of something very unpredictable - public reaction.
I have been following the story of a rather innovative company, Here Be Dragons, for a few months now. The stars of Fuliranje at Advent in Zagreb with their Enchanted Village and original Game of Thrones iron throne, here is a business specialising in quality licenced geek souvenirs from global brands such as Game of Thrones, Star Wars, Harry Potter and many others. Rather than go for the quick buck, the shopping experience with Here Be Dragons is all part of the adventure. I love the door on their first store in Diocletian's Palace in Split, for example, when they close for the night.
Opening a store in Zagreb was a logical next step, and with a prestigious address of Tkalciceva 34, I have little doubt that the superbly designed store will be a big success, but just how many people would show up for the opening party last Friday? There were but a handful of articles in the Croatian media announcing the opening, although one in Journal.hr attracted over a thousand like and three times as many comments - a clue to the interest in the Here Be Dragons project.
And so it proved! Well over a thousand people turned up for the opening event, as Tkalca quickly filled, an opening crowd which far exceeded the expectations of the organisers. When did a store in the capital last attract such a large crowd? Fans waited patiently, and their wait was certainly helped by the refreshments and entertainment offered by the Here Be Dragons team, including free shots and a very popular Cosplay competition, part of which you can see in the video below.
Fan girls constantly screamed and hyperventilated at the site their favorite fan merch. Some kissed the door of Moria, others posed for selfies with the lifesize figures and in the enchanted forest entryway.
Are you one of the few who didn't make the opening night and curious what you missed? Check out the inside of the new Here Be Dragons store in this preview article here. And then go check it out for yourself. To learn more about Here Be Dragons in Croatia, why not follow them on Facebook?
