Customers line up for grand opening of Apple's Grand Central store

Posted:
in General Discussion edited January 2014
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.







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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 112
    conradjoeconradjoe Posts: 1,887member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post


    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...
  • Reply 2 of 112
    iqatedoiqatedo Posts: 1,822member
    Amazing to think that in Grand Central, there is somewhere that is actually out of the way.
  • Reply 3 of 112
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by ConradJoe View Post


    Looks like a bunch of weirdos to me...



    Why? They look pretty normal and happy to my eyes.
  • Reply 4 of 112
    Now if Apple could only entice just 1% of those commuters on a daily basis to buy products from the GCT retail store, Apple could really produce a serious halo for Apple products.
  • Reply 5 of 112
    malaxmalax Posts: 1,598member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Xian Zhu Xuande View Post


    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.
  • Reply 6 of 112
    flaneurflaneur Posts: 4,526member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Xian Zhu Xuande View Post


    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.
  • Reply 7 of 112
    nasseraenasserae Posts: 3,167member
    This store is massive. I am going to visit this store on my trip to NYC this christmas break.



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Xian Zhu Xuande View Post


    Why? They look pretty normal and happy to my eyes.



    Don't feed the trolls.
  • Reply 8 of 112
    solipsismxsolipsismx Posts: 19,566member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by malax View Post


    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.
  • Reply 9 of 112
    I guess samsung making fun of apple fan didn't work. These guys are lining up just to get in the store, in a city that already has many stores.
  • Reply 10 of 112
    801801 Posts: 271member
    Looks like a special family outing to Manhattan to me. Mom lets the Apple nerd kids skip school, headed in real early for a nice day in the city. Those two will be wearing the T shirts to school Monday, maybe a holiday gift in there somewhere. Remember that B&H closes at 2 on Friday for Shabbat. Hit the new Cube up on 5th ( looks great, Steve would have loved it) Get a dirty water dog in between. Dinner down on 9th, maybe. Perfect family day in the city. I miss my kids being that age.
  • Reply 11 of 112
    iqatedoiqatedo Posts: 1,822member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by 801 View Post


    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.
  • Reply 12 of 112
    jupiteronejupiterone Posts: 1,564member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by SolipsismX View Post


    ...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.
  • Reply 13 of 112
    flaneurflaneur Posts: 4,526member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by JupiterOne View Post




    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.
  • Reply 14 of 112
    solipsismxsolipsismx Posts: 19,566member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by JupiterOne View Post




    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.
  • Reply 15 of 112
    red oakred oak Posts: 1,087member
    The store is beautiful. The launch very well executed. Congrats to the Apple team. Steve would be proud!
  • Reply 16 of 112
    solipsismxsolipsismx Posts: 19,566member
    That has to be annoying for those commuting through GCT this morning.
  • Reply 17 of 112
    onhkaonhka Posts: 1,025member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Flaneur View Post


    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.
  • Reply 18 of 112
    postulantpostulant Posts: 1,272member
    I hope Samsung doesn't see this.
  • Reply 19 of 112
    paxmanpaxman Posts: 4,729member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by SolipsismX View Post


    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.
  • Reply 20 of 112
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by SolipsismX View Post


    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.
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