(Sydney, Australia, Friday, 9:00 a.m.) — The grand opening of the Sydney (Australia) is over, but a large crowd, accommodating weather and an amazing store helped make it among Apple’s best events. Cloudy weather turned to sun at mid-day Thursday, then back to overcast before the opening–and then to rain just after the first 200 walked into the store. There were several hundred in line at the opening hour, along with hundreds more spectators along the sidewalk. The inside of the store certainly doesn’t feel spacious, but it’s laid out efficiently. Once we passed beyond the landmark glass façade, the real treasure was the pair of hidden glass staircases–they are amazing from so many different angles. Read my preliminary report here, be be sure to read this story’s comments from visitors, and see the next page for photos.
Check this collection of store interior photos taken during the press event, and this extraordinary collection of photos taken from “overhead.”
The first three persons in line at the Sydney retail store.
The line about 7 p.m.
About 1:30 a.m., everyone became sleepers.
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Welcome to Sydney :)
Perhaps I’ll see you at the opening on Thursday! It’s quite a sight to walk by the store. For someone who has been to the stores at Regent Street in London, the Cube in NYC and the stores in Tokyo Ginza/Shibuya, the facade on this one is truly amazing (and HUUUUGE). That lit Apple logo is great :)
Ouch..that store is pretty…but not pratical!
like when its busy…how will you move around on the top 2 levels?
also
apple should of put the staircases in the front section..that extends 15 feet outwards towards the side walks..inside of leaving that empty?
this is cool..but way to narrow and wide
Just so you know… Manly Oceanworld isn’t in Sydney, it’s in Manly. Sydney Aquarium is located in Darling Harbour, that’s probably what you were thinking of. Also? Taronga Zoo is still in Sydney, just on the other side of the harbour, much closer that Oceanworld in fact. :)
Oh.. hope I won’t be too late when I get there at 5pm there on Thursday…
Glory, don’t confuse people…Manly is still a suburb of Sydney. Manly is in fact, closer to the City of Sydney than Homebush Bay, the home of the Sydney 2000 Olympic Stadium ;)
But anyway, see you at the Apple Store (which is definitely in Sydney, whichever way you look at it) and we can discuss it over an iChat :P
Has anyone been across the road the that T-Life place, is that like the apple store?
T-Life is the official store for Telstra, kinda like Australia’s AT&T. It’s a little ironic that Telstra is the only major telco NOT to get the iPhone 3G. That’s a good thing – because Telstra is full of evil-ness (if you ask me). Anyway, hope to see you at the Apple Store opening tomorrow. Anyone know how long the queue is now?
hey guys the people from http://www.WasabiTV.com.au will be there cant wait to see all the other fans!
Thanks
I drove by about 30 min ago and honked you all from my Black SUV but you just were all boring and sat there.
looks stunning hope build a good one in melbourne to
by the way i’m so happy that telstra didn’t get the iphone there a bunch of rip off artists and how convenient that T-life is just opisite
Hey Gary, you made the papers in Australia http://www.theage.com.au/news/biztech/new-apple-store-is-a-glass-act/2008/06/18/1213468485435.html
Well – 2.30am and I drove past having come and seen this blog after my last customer for the night… thought I would offer to get any of the people who have been lining up for ??? hours some hot food (Golden Century perhaps?) but strangely as I pulled up and asked if I could get anyone anything – ie food etc they all looked at me like I was mad! The security guard then reiterated the offer to which I got a few thumbs up and a thank you but no takers… just who the mad ones were I am still wondering!
Was glad to stop by, Will see everyone later today with some of my other historical bits and pieces!
Video from SMH for press launch or store
http://media.smh.com.au/?category=Breaking%20News&rid=38817
Nice video of the line outside the store this morning (Thursday) by John Johnston http://qik.com/video/106780
Apple website updated to show Sydney store…
http://www.apple.com/pr/products/retail/retail.html
note that some of the surrounding establishments have been removed with photoshop… esp the American Consulate for fast food… the other Big Mac
Standing in the line now. The line is all along york st.
I am writing this from a MacBook Air in the Apple Store in Sydney!!! It’s about 6:30pm and there are still people queuing up!!
@Remy
Unfortunately for you Telstra will be selling the iPhone.
http://www.australianit.news.com.au/story/0,24897,23890067-15306,00.html
Apple is a big rip-off merchant Down Under. THey’re not passing on the savings that Aussies should enjoy owing to the strong AUD. I might as well have a relative buy me a machine in the US and have that shipped over or I wait until my trip there and buy the thing myself.
Thanks Jason for letting me know. Oh well. You here tonight?
Here is a 360 degree QuicktimeVR panorama
of the opening
http://www.mediavr.com/applestore.htm
The editing is pretty poor, too. The streetlight shows twice and the right side of the adjacent building (that holds the McDonald’s sign) is no longer vertical – it has a big jagged edge!
Well I was hoping to be able to invite the travelers to Sydney to stop by and see the Grand Opening of Apple in Waikiki on their way home. However there seems to have been some late design changes that delayed the opening.
Apple totally missed the Center’s Grand Open House Celebration, their advertising push for the reopening after the upgraded construction is mostly finished.
The biggest delay is the outside facing and the glass.
My webpage on the construction
http://web.mac.com/marktrek/Apple/Royal_Hawaiian_Center.html
The Shopping Center’s page
http://www.royalhawaiiancenter.com/
Mahalo, Mark
The full resolution version of Apple’s Sydney store photo is available through the Apple PR Web page, and downloads as a TIFF file of almost 7 Mb. It’s pretty impressive. I will tell you that the photo is a huge composite of 10 photos, and that Apple’s design team spent many, many hours retouching it–late into the night–so it could be ready before the grand opening. Kudos to them!
Some more photos from inside the store and of opening night.
Hi All,
If you missed us at the store and didnt get your
“I Was there – Apple Store Sydney 19th June 2008″ Bumper sticker, register at
http://www.wasabitv.com.au/win and will send out the bumper stickers to you.
We gave away 500 at the launch but dissapointed a few more people.. We need to get another 200 atleast before we can do another run.
Cheers
Ananth
Gary,
As much as I enjoy this website, I hope that if you traveled that far, at least you will spend some time in Australia. There is a lot more than just an Apple store to see. A separate travel log would be fun.
The first 3 people in your Sydney footage (Across the road looking at the building) happen to be Apple staff from the head office just down the road.
I want to buy a iphone for my huband and he love me