When Practical Magic came to town, Coupeville received quite the spellbinding makeover. Front Street gleamed under a fresh coat of white paint as storefronts transformed overnight: Kingfisher Books became Lesher’s Hardware, Toby’s Tavern turned into The Catch and Fry, and the Knead & Feed Bakery (now Molka Xete Mexican Kitchen) played its most famous role as Verbena Botanicals, Sally’s cozy shop.

At the end of the street, a charming farmers’ market appeared, brimming with real local produce and our favorite part, seafood donated by yours truly, Penn Cove Shellfish.

Of all the movie’s magical details, none captured hearts quite like the Owens family home, that grand white Victorian perched above the sea. But here’s a little secret: the house was never real. It was a beautifully crafted illusion, built just for filming on San Juan Island, complete with wraparound porch, garden, and greenhouse. Inside scenes were filmed far away in Los Angeles studios, but the exterior felt so alive that even Barbra Streisand reportedly tried to buy it! Though the house was dismantled after filming, fans still visit the bluff where it once stood, drawn to a place that, like the film itself, still seems to shimmer with a touch of magic.

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According to the Practical Magic DVD commentary, the cast and crew were as enchanted by the Pacific Northwest as the film’s story itself. Producer Denise De Novi summed it up best when she reflected, “This movie is about magic, and that place was magical.”

Sandra Bullock fondly remembered spotting all kinds of wildlife and bald eagles, and even the day a curious seal swam up to watch them work. “Those islands are some of the most blessed,” she said. And we couldn’t agree more.

practical magic in 2026

Nicole Kidman recently shared a behind-the-scenes video on Instagram offering a glimpse into the filming of the long-awaited sequel, Practical Magic 2, which officially wrapped production in September 2025. The new film draws inspiration from Alice Hoffman’s 2021 novel The Book of Magic, the literary sequel to her 1995 classic Practical Magic, which first introduced readers, and later, moviegoers- to the enchanting Owens family.

Directed by Susanne Bier and written by Akiva Goldsman and Georgia Pritchett, the upcoming fantasy romantic dramedy reunites Sandra Bullock, Nicole Kidman, Stockard Channing, and Dianne Wiest as the spellbinding Owens women, alongside a new generation of stars including Joey King, Xolo Maridueña, Maisie Williams, and Lee Pace.

Unlike the 1998 classic, much of which was filmed right here in Coupeville, the sequel was shot primarily at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden and across locations in London. Set to premiere on September 18, 2026, Practical Magic 2 promises to bring Hoffman’s next chapter to life on screen, reminding us all that a little bit of magic (and sisterhood) never fades.