To say I am an Apple enthusiast would simply be an understatement. I love the entire iPod series, the Mac, Macbook and the iPhone. Everything they make works brilliantly well (well usually), placing great emphasis on simplicity. I am the crazy boy who queued up at 6.30am for the iPhone 4 and would do it again in a heartbeat. By comparison going to the launch of Apple’s new mansion built right in Covent Garden was going to be a doddle because it was due to open at 10am rather than 8am for the iPhone 4 and I guessed it wouldn’t get hours to get into the store. Fortunately, my guess was right, for when I got out of Covent Garden tube station I was shocked by how terribly long the queues (there was one queue for iPhone 4 and one for those who wanted to see the store) were but after the doors finally opened at 10am, it was only 20 minutes before I made it right in. What a blessing.
The atmosphere was incredible all throughout Covent Garden – not just outside the Apple store but the entire area. The place was bouncing with camera crews from all around the world and plenty of very loud cheering and chanting from clearly pumped up Apple staff. I got my wish to be amongst the very first customers setting foot inside but before that, a group of staff lined the main entrance high fiving us and handing over a box with a special t-shirt inside.
Now, the store is simply gorgeous inside and it feels much more homely than the Regent Street branch. This is because rather the space inside is much more narrower from wall to wall as opposed to the Regent Street branch’s one giant open plan design. Also, bricks are clearly visible all over, in their natural state. There are four floors (not three as many report) – basement floor, ground floor, 1st floor and 2nd floor. There are far more seats which will come as a big relief for those who like to really test drive the products thoroughly. One thing unique about this particular branch is that it also has a briefing room for business clients looking for IT solutions (pre-sales and after care) – the only store in the UK to have one according to staff.
It is also the world’s biggest Apple store.
Click here to see over 100 photos I took inside. Here are some of the photos:
Nice Garden Store photos | My garden row
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