Yesterday, I awoke with the tummy rumbling excitement I would normally associate with Christmas mornings of my youth.
I had been looking forward to this day since Wednesday. It was on that day that I discovered that my very own Apple Store would be opening this weekend! I say my own Apple Store, it qualifies for this by being within a half an hour of my home.
So why the excitement? Two reasons!
Firstly, being in my line (mac podcasting) you here about these ‘event’ openings quite regularly, but they’re usually are on some other far and distant continent!
Secondly, they allegedly give away commemorative t-shirts for the first 1,000 customers through the door!
You may or may a not find these valid reasons to get up extra early on Saturday morning and drag your four old daughter out of bed to stand in the queue with you. But I did.
So we arrived at the shopping centre about 8.30 a.m. As I mentioned Brighton is approximately a twenty five minute drive from my home. The store was due to open at 10.00 a.m. and when we arrived I would estimate a queue of around 20 people were already outside the store. As I had dragged Ella out of house, naturally I hadn’t fed the poor child. So we grabbed some breakfast first. And when we returned 15 mintues later the queue hadn’t changed much.
So we joined the queue and that’s what we did – queue! I won’t bore you with the details, as there really wasn’t much happening. Luckily, after we joined the queue the people started to flock and the queue started to grow fast.
There was a bit of friendly banter in the queue. Some talk of the next iPhone. No, not the 3GS the next one! A mac nerd is never happy!
Fast forward and hour and a bit and then things started to happen! First the concierge appeared to mingle with us the adoring and some might argue ‘sad’ mac faithful. I almost forgot I also spoke to the Deputy Editor from Mac Format magazine about the Apple Store and it’s possible effect on the other existing resellers in the city.
The security guards wonders… why are you all here?
But he then quickly disappeared before I had a chance to pimp the Mac Nerd News. I think there must have been someone far more interesting than me waiting to be interviewed inside the Apple Store.
As the hour approached various Apple employees came to glass window to gawk in disbelief at the crowd now sprawling around the top floor of the shopping centre.
A small, bored child that belongs to me!
Then suddenly, there was much whooping. No not the crowd, this was coming from inside the store. From what I could see it looked a kind of group hugging ritual with the Apple employees. A short while and much whooping later the entire staff exited the store and proceeded to run around the shopping centre ‘high–fiving!’ the entire queue. I have to admit I dabbled but I did feel a little odd and not very British. Surely a firm handshake could of sufficed?
They then returned to the store and formed what I best can describe as wedding arch inside the entrance to the store. This was starting to feel even creepier! 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 more whooping, we were on and entering the store!
As we entered more ‘high-fiving’ as we shuffled down the line of employees. This was quite creepy! I think it was the expression on their faces, they all seemed SO happy to be there and to meet us! But it felt a bit like they had been told to smile widely at each and every one of us on punishment of a P45!
But I did get a t-shirt and my daughter got one as well. Which I thought was quite generous considering the t-shirt is big enough for her to camp in!
Even FREE Apple t-shirts come packaged beautifully.
The store quickly filled up. So much so, that navigating the store with a small child in tow was proving tricky! But I did have a cursory glance and I was quite impressed. Allegedly it is the third biggest in the U.K.
Overall Ella was so patient considering how long we had waited for a measly t-shirt. So I made my excuses (Ella needed a wee!) and left the store.
So long and thanks for all the t-shirts and thanks for a strange, yet enjoyable experience Apple.
Little old me in the offending t-shirt it’s a large and fits where it touches!
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