This ‘Harry Potter’ double-decker bus is getting a magical Tri-Cities transformation

A double-decker bus from London is undergoing a magical transformation in Tri-Cities.

Longtime friends and business partners Mamie Gale and Kevin Fairchild — who work together to run Fairchild Cinemas — are teaming up to create a Harry-Potter themed short-term rental.

“Kevin has been looking for a bus for a couple of years,” Gale said. “We are big fans of Harry Potter so what we plan to do is turn it into the Knight Bus.”

On the big screen, the Knight Bus is a purple, triple-decker bus that transports stranded witches and wizards wherever they need to go. The magical transportation was first introduced in “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban,” the third book in the seven-part series.

Fairchild says the initial idea came after he and Gale stumbled on another themed Airbnb in Washington.

After staying at the Hobbit Inn, a cabin near Chelan that was created to look like a Hobbit hole from “The Lord of the Rings” by J.R.R. Tolkien, Fairchild says they decided they had to do something fun themselves.

“We had a few ideas and the Knight Bus was one of them,” Fairchild said. “So we were scouring for a year or so trying to just find double-deckers, because there’s not many in North America.”

The search eventually led them to a Craigslist post advertising a double-decker bus still in running condition for sale in Coeur d’Alene.

They bought the 1966 AEC Routemaster, drove it to Tri-Cities and parked it on Fairchild’s property near the corner of West 19th Avenue and Union Street in Kennewick.

The bright red bus has already created quite a stir.

“People driving by, it’s fun to watch them slow down,” Gale said. “It’s fun to watch them take the U-turn and circle back and take pictures.”

The business partners plan to tackle most of the remodeling themselves — a process which they will document on their website, Facebook and Instagram pages — @theknightbus.wa.

In addition to remodel updates, Gale says they want to share the history of the bus that was first brought to the U.S. by Red Bull in 2004.

Eventually, they will move the bus to a Lewis County property where they plan to build another Harry Potter-themed Airbnb — a small house made to look like the half-giant Hagrid’s hut.

Gale says that even though they are adding a lot of magical details to both projects, the short-term rentals are meant to be enjoyed by anyone who wants a fun, unique experience.

“How often do you have an opportunity to just come and even see a double-decker bus?” she said.

Once the bus remodel is complete, they plan to have an open house in the Tri-Cities before driving it to the West side.

Gale says they hope the immersive experience brings people joy and creates new Harry Potter fans.

“I think the excitement of it being magical will actually excite people, but will also encourage people that don’t know Harry Potter to read the series and then they’ll enjoy it even more,” she said.

This story was originally published October 4, 2021 at 5:00 AM with the headline "This ‘Harry Potter’ double-decker bus is getting a magical Tri-Cities transformation."