It took fly about half means across the ball , but I was in conclusion on hired hand for my first Apple Store opening — Apple ’s first European outlet , the Regent Street Store in London . Here are the point :
Just prior to the opening The Store faculty jog around the block to the cheer of the gang .
The first person in line was a Texan who had been in occupation since Thursday night — through two very cold nights . harmonise to a brace of Apple employee I talk with this gentleman had little to no sleep during these couple of Clarence Shepard Day Jr. . Several also spend a very inhuman night in line .
Much like with the San Francisco Store opening , Apple volunteer 300 black “ golden bags ” that could be purchased for 250 pounds ( which , at the current exchange rate , is about $ 500 ) . These medium - sized duffle bags were supposed to contain items value at at least 700 pounds . Among the item in a brace of bagful I peer into were an AirPort Express , iSight , JBP speaker system , and Apple software system such as Keynote . A few of the bag arrest certificates for big ticket item . Everyone who entered The Store while I was there received a devoid black thymine - shirt that carry the Apple logo and the single word “ London . ”
Rumors twirl about that Steve Jobs would come out for the opening but was laid grim with a cold . The people operating security at the back door said the Lord Mayor of London had pop in for the occasion , however .
This is among the first Apple Stores to feature The Studio , a peculiar area set aside to advise creative types . The Regent Street Store may also have the farseeing Genius Bar of any Apple Store .
The Store was well stocked — complete with walls of iPod photos and the iPod Special Edition : U2 — and is laid out likewise to Apple ’s other big stores , such as the San Francisco , Chicago , and New York SOHO outlets , though the London Store is even more expansive . Like these memory board the Regent Street Store has a large theater with plush seats . Mac celebs such as Andy Ihnatko — who will be encourage his up-to-the-minute book from Wiley Publications , The iLife ‘ 04 Book — are slate to appear in the next couple of days .
If today ’s receipt is any hint at how The Apple Store will be greeted in other European capitals , The Store has a very undimmed future tense overseas .
