Zonko's Joke Shop

Zonko's Joke Shop
Location information
Location	High Street, Hogsmeade, Highlands, Scotland, Great Britain
Owner(s)	Zonko Unidentified shopkeeper (1890s) Bilton Bilmes (1980s)
Affiliation	Wizarding world Unidentified shop assistant (employee in 2010s) Hrithvi (employee in 2010s)

"I need to visit Zonko's. I'm nearly out of Stink Pellets."

— Fred Weasley regarding Zonko's

Zonko's Joke Shop was a wizarding joke shop located in the wizarding village of Hogsmeade, Scotland. By at least 1890, it was a favourite place for Hogwarts students to shop on Hogsmeade trips. In the 1980s, it was owned by Bilton Bilmes.

History

20th century

Bilton Bilmes in his shop inspecting the merchandise

In the late 19th century, the shop was run by an unidentified shopkeeper. Students from Hogwarts would visit regularly.

Bilton Bilmes behind the counter of Zonko's talking with Jacob's sibling

In the 1980s, Jacob's sibling visited this shop frequently, most often to plan pranks, when it was owned by Bilton Bilmes. They were often accompanied by friends, such as Nymphadora Tonks and Tulip Karasu, both of whom were interested in pranks. When they visited the shop again in the 1988–1989 school year to speak to Bilton, they had to deal with an outbreak of rogue Fanged Frisbees with the Bombardment Spell, also encountering the same problem in the 1988–1989 school year as well.

Flyers advertising Zonko's grand reopening

During the 1987–1988 school year, Bilmes considered shutting down the shop following a venomous review by Rita Skeeter. Skeeter wrote it as revenge against Bilton for preventing her from joining the Slug Club. Jacob's sibling and friends spoke to various Hogwarts faculty members, where they learnt of Bilmes love of pranks and humour while at the school. They persuaded Bilmes to keep his shop open as everyone would have been too upset to see it go, with Bilmes hosting a grand re-opening. Even Minerva McGonagall lent her support to keep Zonko's open.

When Professor Snape caught Harry in the corridor of Hogwarts at night with the Marauder's Map, he was sceptical of Harry's story that it was a Zonko's product, but Professor Lupin and Ron backed Harry up on his lie.

During the events surrounding Lord Voldemort's second rise to power, Zonko's was closed and boarded up. Fred and George visited Hogsmeade with an eye towards the possibility of buying the premises and turning it into a Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes outlet shortly before Ron Weasley got accidentally poisoned, after which they decided that it wouldn't do them any good if Hogwarts students weren't allowed in Hogsmeade due to Katie Bell's incident.

21st century

Inside of Zonko's Joke Shop

In December 2010, a thief tried to break into Zonko's one night during a fog. The exterior had been clawed at, leaving marks all over it. It was one of several local shops that were targeted. The next day, the shop assistant surveyed the damage outside. He called it a mess and complained that he didn't have time to clean up after "hairy hooligans".

Zonko's was the favourite shop of Robyn Thistlethwaite. Before the Christmas holidays, she decided to stock up on their products and visited the store. While she was talking to Bilton Bilmes, she accidentally set off dungbombs which created a mess for the shop assistant to clean up. She was barred from the shop by Hrithvi and had to get her friend to help her buy what she needed. She sent them in to get 17 Stink Pellets, 22 trick wands and 2 boxing telescopes among others. They suggested she sneak into the shop with them under the Disillusionment Charm.

Hrithvi was working at the time. Robyn accidentally set off Ever-Bashing Boomerangs which drew her attention. Hrithvi asked the student if they were buying for a friend, revealing that she knew Robyn was there. She told her she wouldn't have barred her if she knew how much she would buy. Robyn asked her if she could have a discount but Hrithvi told her she could not.

Products

Bewildering Can of Mystery Boxing telescope Dungbombs Ever-Bashing Boomerangs Gillyweed Tonic Hiccough Sweets Frog Spawn Soap

Nose-Biting Teacups Sneakoscope Stink Pellets Tempest in a Bottle Trick wands Zonko's toy unicorn stick

Behind the scenes

• In the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Zonko's is mentioned several times. One such mention occurred when Ron was describing his first visit to Hogsmeade. It is mentioned once more when Harry was confronted in the middle of the night, wandering the corridors of Hogwarts, by Professor Snape. Professor Lupin suggested the Marauder's Map was a Zonko's product when it started spouting out insults at Snape.
• There is a recreation of Zonko's in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

Appearances

• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (First appearance)
• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (film)
• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (video game)
• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
• Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
• Pottermore (Mentioned only)
• Wizarding World (Mentioned only)
• LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4
• LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7
• The Wizarding World of Harry Potter
• Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery
• Harry Potter: Puzzles & Spells (Mentioned only)
• Harry Potter: Magic Awakened
• Hogwarts Legacy
• The Art of Harry Potter: Mini Book of Graphic Design