Customers line up for grand opening of Apple's Grand Central store
Friday's grand opening of the new Apple Store in New York's Grand Central Terminal drew a crowd of customers who lined up to be among the first to shop at the massive new retail location [updated with more pictures].
Early Friday morning, a line of about 40 people had already formed ahead of the grand opening of the store at 10 a.m. Those waiting in line stayed in a side corridor to ensure the crowd didn't get in the way of commuters using the terminal for travel.
Those at the very front of the line stayed overnight in sleeping bags to make sure they would be the first into the new retail location. Apple employees also handed out bottles of Smartwater to those in line to make sure they were hydrated.
In addition to the traditional media, an Apple camera crew was also on hand to interview those waiting in line. Wearing red t-shirts with the Apple logo on the chest, the employees spoke with customers who awaited the grand opening Friday morning.
Apple offered a first look at the store earlier this week ahead of the official opening. The open area looks down on the main concourse of Grand Central Terminal with chandeliers overhead, featuring the company's signature maple woods tables showcasing its products.
The entranceway to the store features a large, glowing Apple logo on the east balcony. Stairs to the store are above the entrance to tracks 100 through 117 and the dining concourse.
The 23,000-square-foot store will be one of Apple's largest retail locations in the world. It sits in a prime location in Grand Central Terminal, though which an estimated 700,000 people pass every day.
The Grand Central Apple Store is staffed by 315 employees and features Apple's largest Personal Setup area in the world. It also features two Genius Bars.
Following today's grand opening, normal hours for the store will be 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturdays, and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sundays. Thanks to AppleInsider reader Ryan for the details and pictures from Friday morning's event.
Update: Below, see more pictures of the massive crowd that formed after the store finally opened at 10 a.m.
Update 2: Apple has released its own photos of the store opening.
Early Friday morning, a line of about 40 people had already formed ahead of the grand opening of the store at 10 a.m. Those waiting in line stayed in a side corridor to ensure the crowd didn't get in the way of commuters using the terminal for travel.
Those at the very front of the line stayed overnight in sleeping bags to make sure they would be the first into the new retail location. Apple employees also handed out bottles of Smartwater to those in line to make sure they were hydrated.
In addition to the traditional media, an Apple camera crew was also on hand to interview those waiting in line. Wearing red t-shirts with the Apple logo on the chest, the employees spoke with customers who awaited the grand opening Friday morning.
Apple offered a first look at the store earlier this week ahead of the official opening. The open area looks down on the main concourse of Grand Central Terminal with chandeliers overhead, featuring the company's signature maple woods tables showcasing its products.
The entranceway to the store features a large, glowing Apple logo on the east balcony. Stairs to the store are above the entrance to tracks 100 through 117 and the dining concourse.
The 23,000-square-foot store will be one of Apple's largest retail locations in the world. It sits in a prime location in Grand Central Terminal, though which an estimated 700,000 people pass every day.
The Grand Central Apple Store is staffed by 315 employees and features Apple's largest Personal Setup area in the world. It also features two Genius Bars.
Following today's grand opening, normal hours for the store will be 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturdays, and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sundays. Thanks to AppleInsider reader Ryan for the details and pictures from Friday morning's event.
Update: Below, see more pictures of the massive crowd that formed after the store finally opened at 10 a.m.
Update 2: Apple has released its own photos of the store opening.
Comments
Friday's grand opening of the new Apple Store in New York's Grand Central Terminal drew a crowd of customers who lined up to be among the first to shop at the massive new retail location.
They are the elite Apple fans. This will be a story that gets retold to the grandchildren on every family holiday.
</sarcasm>
Sounds like a bunch of weirdos to me...
Looks like a bunch of weirdos to me...
Why? They look pretty normal and happy to my eyes.
Why? They look pretty normal and happy to my eyes.
Agreed. If that picture invokes "weirdos" in someone's mind I'd question that person's frame of reference. Looks like a modern day Norman Rockwell scene to me.
Why? They look pretty normal and happy to my eyes.
They do look look normal and happy, don't they? That's why ConradJoe finds them weird.
Why? They look pretty normal and happy to my eyes.
Don't feed the trolls.
Agreed. If that picture invokes "weirdos" in someone's mind I'd question that person's frame of reference. Looks like a modern day Norman Rockwell scene to me.
He's just acting like a cynical prick as unusual. Personally, I don't get the desire to first into a new store but I certainly don't think they are abnormal queers the way ConradJoe does.
If there was a new product launching that I felt would be hard to get ahold of I;d wait in a line. From bread to the iPad to simply having to use the bathroom lines serve their purpose.
Looks like a special family outing to Manhattan to me... I miss my kids being that age.
I do too (my kids that is ).
All the best.
...I certainly don't think they are abnormal queers the way ConradJoe does.
For all his trollish-ness, I don't think ConradJoe ever said anything as offensive as this? I'm hoping this is an unfortunate auto-correct mistake.
For all his trollish-ness, I don't think ConradJoe ever said anything as offensive as this? I'm hoping this is an unfortunate auto-correct mistake.
I doubt that SolipsismX was using "queer" in the most recent sense, maybe an earlier usage where it can sub for CJ's "weirdo." Anyway, ConradJoe deserves to be mistranslated in any way possible, because he's just doing his despicable best to Gizmodo-fy the thread. For money, I'm convinced, because he spends all day at it, every day.
Edit: On topic, if I were in New York, I'd be there to see the show. Can't imagine anything more entertaining, and it has a bit of historical resonance. I mean, this ain't the Trailways bus station. First time I was there was in the 1950s with my dad. He loved the place, the way an out-of-towner always likes the big metropolitan train station. He would have flipped out to see this revival by virtue of a new generation of technology.
For all his trollish-ness, I don't think ConradJoe ever said anything as offensive as this? I'm hoping this is an unfortunate auto-correct mistake.
He called them weirdos. He implied they were abnormal and queer. These are all synonyms. Nothing in ConradJoe's hateful comment eluded to calling them homosexuals, nor does mine. Words do have multiple meaning so the context it's used is important to understand its meaning.
They do look look normal and happy, don't they? That's why ConradJoe finds them weird.
I guess it all depends where his (Conradjoe's) head is.
Got to give him credit though. He never has to buy Kleenex.
That has to be annoying for those commuting through GCT this morning. [IMG]Crowds at GC[/IMG]
But how amazing is that? All the products are available is several near by Apple stores yet crowds turn up for the unveiling of a new store. It is architecturally interesting, I agree, but this kind of enthusiasm must be the envy of the entire retail world. Impressive.
He called them weirdos. He implied they were abnormal and queer. These are all synonyms. Nothing in ConradJoe's hateful comment eluded to calling them homosexuals, nor does mine. Words do have multiple meaning so the context it's used is important to understand its meaning.
I understand the meaning of the word queer when used as an adjective, "Those people look queer", meaning odd or strange. But when used as a noun, "They are abnormal queers", it means a homosexual man.