The corner of George Street and King Street was packed, shoulder-to-shoulder with curious workers, interested tourists and indifferent passers-by. But no matter who it was, there was one company on everybody’s lips – Apple. Whether it was the iPhone, The Macbook Air, or even just the iPod, everybody we walked passed was talking about the shiny white Apple and their new store.
The queue itself at first appeared to be quite small – sure there was a major throng of people out the front, but the line tapered off around the side of the building in King Street. But the truth of the line was hidden.
At 5:30, the line extended back from the front of the store on George street, around the corner onto King street where it stopped, before resuming on the corner of King and York. About 100 metres down York street, it abruptly stopped again, resuming on the opposite side of the road where it extended all the way to Market street.
Talking to security managing the line, they said that there was easily 2000 people in queue to get their free T-shirt.
I’m sure Apple will fill us in on the exact number of people who passed through their doors on opening night. In the meantime, enjoy some images from the opening and the ongoing queue.
haha
Thursday, June 19, 2008 at 6:30 PMwho cares?
Jabba
Thursday, June 19, 2008 at 7:12 PMCome the revolution we’ll feast on their hearts! Go the Mac!
Damo
Thursday, June 19, 2008 at 7:26 PMI am soooo giving it a week… or two
Whocares?
Thursday, June 19, 2008 at 7:41 PMYou need a better photographer…
Christopher
Thursday, June 19, 2008 at 10:11 PMwooohhoooo! =)
Kevin Nugent
Thursday, June 19, 2008 at 10:45 PMSecond shot is obviously Photoshop’d. There’s never that many Taxi’s in Sydney CBD at rush hour!
LoLers
Thursday, June 19, 2008 at 10:55 PMnext month will it will be empty.
Ian
Friday, June 20, 2008 at 9:14 AMPeople queuing up to be sold stuff. Does that seem right to you?
Stew
Friday, June 20, 2008 at 9:58 AMIT’S JUST A FREAKIN’ STORE, PEOPLE!
Reactions like this to a “product” (or line of products) makes me worried about how susceptible people are to hype.
You’re all eating out of their hand, just lapping it up. “Oh I feel so warm and loved by this company…” Puh-lease, grrlfriend.
This isn’t a dig at Apple – if I had a company and I could generate this kind of response then I would. Business is all about making money, and getting hoards of people brainlessly flock to you like this is exactly what you’d want. “Apple… shiny… want…. will do anything….”
Can’t help but notice el-Jobso wasn’t there. First store in the southern hemisphere and where is he? Trying to get into the pants of Kathy Griffin – that’s where. Just to stick it to Woz. He doesn’t care about you. Now go home! Show’s over! They’re just the same products you’ve been able to buy in David Jones or JB HiFi or anywhere else for the past 6 months but now in a bigger, shinier store! Bleh.
David K
Friday, June 20, 2008 at 10:59 AMLolers I think thee computer must be a windoz by the sound of it!