Renaming Shops

[Justin Cliffeton]

Hey!

So Jesse, Sammy & I were talking a while back (I completely spaced and meant to post this) and we were thinking that since this is Hogwarts New Zealand & not Hogwarts Scotland, and especially since we have Obsidian Harbour and Brightstone Village, as opposed to the UK varieties, it doesn’t make sense that all of the shops have the same name.

For example: Ollivanders wouldn’t be the same as it’s named for Ollivander and I doubt he works at both stores on rotation. Madam Malkin’s wouldn’t be the same for the same reasons. Also Florean Fortescue died so it’d make no sense for their to be a second branch.

I’m not suggesting we change ‘all of them’, but simply that we rethink the ones that should get another name. Perhaps we can post it to the Shopkeepers that are currently in charge of the shops and they can pick a new name?

Maybe we could even make it a site competition? Not sure how it’d work but it’d be a sweet idea.

Just a thought

Zachie | Sammy | Jesse

[staff]Unfortunately, not true about Ollivander =[ http://hogwarts.nz/profile/116061/ http://hogwarts.nz/profile/3034052/ [/staff]

 

[Professor Cyndi Kingsley]

Hi guys,

Thank you for the suggestion. I feel like I've answered this before, but here's a more official answer for you all in case I haven't.

We know that the New Zealand wizarding community is relatively new and places like Obsidian and Brightstone have only really grown in the past 27 years (based on the site's history) to accommodate the families that moved to the area for their children to attend the school, so it wouldn't be hard to believe that some shops would keep the names of shops that people are comfortable and used to seeing. So, we don't think it's too far-fetched an idea that some of these stores might be franchises and, therefore, would keep names that are familiar to wizards.

A point that Nick made, which is a good one, is that OOC new people to the site also likely want to see some places named after places in the books. It's probably a little less overwhelming to new people to see some familiarity to the books we all know and love.

Also, fun fact! I'm afraid you're wrong about Ollivander not working at this Ollivander's. He was one of the original owners of the shop, alternating his time between both shops like a boss. So was this Ollivander. So, although someone else currently owns the shop, they didn't found it. Maybe keeping the name was in the contract.

We wouldn't open up shop name changes to a site competition for much the same reason that we are against spell competitions. This is something that we believe would need admin review and approval. There would need to be an IC reason to justify a name change, something more than just owning the shop and being bored or tired with the current name, and we'd place restrictions to ensure that people aren't just naming shops after themselves. So, yes, we are open to this idea, but it would be done on a case-by-case basis and certain shops wouldn't be eligible for name changes at all based on what I've written above.

Thanks again,
Cyndi