The line has formed for the grand opening of the Los Gatos (N. Calif.) street store, with Clyde arriving at 11 a.m. Gary and Mike arrived about noon, and they are now huddled underneath a tree for the shade in the 87 degree heat. There is black plastic over the outside of the storefront as workers clean the inside of the windows. Outside, a worker on a ladder bufffed the very top of the stainless steel using powdered limestore. The sidewalk is busy and we’re answering questions from passersby. [photo: Riley Gaucher as an iPod]
Around noon store manager Julie brought us ice cream and bottled water for being the first three persons in line. At 3 p.m. there are just 10 persons in line, but with lots of curious passersby.
At about 4 p.m. they took down the inside black plastic as the store staff clapped and yelled from inside. The narrow store has a single line of display tables down the center, with aisles on the sides. We can see that they have the the new iPod nano on display. By 4:30 p.m. there were 35 persons in line. [photo]
There were 135 persons in line at 5:30 p.m. as the sidewalk activity continued to grow. The mayor and a member of the city council arrived, and just before 5 p.m. appeared in front of the store with manager Julie to cut a red ribbon. The waiting line was then let into the store to shouts, clapping and high-fives. The store is very spacious, especially at the back, where there’s lots of room in front of the two wall shelves of accessories and software. Visitors were anxious to touch and try out the new iPod nanos.
There were several managers from other stores who arrived to help out with the grand opening. When I left the store at about 6:45 p.m. the waiting line still stretched down the block, with perhaps 175 persons in line.
Check the local newspaper story on the opening that has various reaction to the store’s opening. Check my gallery of photos, the a video of the grand opening.
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{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
Man, I wish I could camp out there. See you guys at 6!
Stacy and I will be their hopefully around the 5 oclock hour
How long is the line, now?
I would have been there, but I had classes today :(
Nice meeting you in line today!
I was about the 22nd person in the line. I sat next to the man who opened the Oakridge apple store. I have some great pictures of the opening of the Los Gatos store. I will post a link to them on here when there uploaded.
Who was that nice lady with the Black BMW with the Patriotic plates?