Grand Central Terminal Packed for Apple Retail Store Opening

[LanPhantom]

What's wrong with everyone!

This is Apple + Grand Central Station. This is iconic. What a fun experience. These are true Apple lovers and want to be part of it. All you party poopers keep it to yourself. If you "wouldn't " go to that, then don't. But for a whole bunch of people, it's a fun time to see another Apple Store opening and watching the company grow.

Just my Two Cents,
LanPhantom

 

[mrxak]

The Grand Openings are fun. The t-shirt is a nice bit of Apple history (and apparently worth some decent money to collectors). People who are calling it a waste of time or sad should maybe reconsider their own life choices posting on an internet forum just to make fun of people having a good time.

 

[newyorksole]

pfff - ordering online or from Grand Central is the same for me...

yeah FOR YOU. There are millions of people in the world who like going to stores to shop and ask staff questions, especially Apple stores. There are also a lot of people who are new to Apple products and need to actually interact with someone.

so to you it's the same, but there's millions of people who like an in-person shopping experience.

----------

wtf why would people actually line up to go into that apple store? it sells the same exact stuff as all the other apple stores.

it's an amazing space. Apple Stores are NOT like other retail stores. Apple takes pride in their design/architecture and the store is beautiful. you obviously haven't been to it.

 

[vitzr]

it's an amazing space. Apple Stores are NOT like other retail stores. Apple takes pride in their design/architecture and the store is beautiful. you obviously haven't been to it.

Yes Apple does a nice job.

However they're just one of many retail shops that are very well done. Apple stores are stark & a bit sterile, yet that's an advantage since there's nothing to see except the products.

One does not enter an Apple store because of it's unique beauty, warmth & style. Once inside it's clearly focused on selling products, there's nothing compelling to see. Thats why they're so successful, it's not a store you browse in, it's like a fast food cafe. Designed to get you in and out. One look at the profit per sales person reflects that.

It works and that's all that matters.

If anything I can see the appeal the outside of a few all glass stores have if you're into that style. It's like the Crystal Cathedral Church. Towering.

 

[DESNOS]

Would have gone, but I had a job interview... Makes you wonder about these people, doesn't it?

 

[GovtLawyer]

Once inside it's clearly focused on selling products, there's nothing compelling to see.

How about the products, aren't they compelling? The stores are wonderfully thought out. Try the products, touch them, ask questions, wander over to where people are being trained in their use, look at the Genius Bar where it is apparent that Apple is making an effort to see that all of their customers have products which work and they know how to use. Everything about the stores are what you like about the products. Simple, accessible, easy to comprehend. Throw in glass staircases and large screens and friendly workers and quality materials from the floors to the walls to the tables. An Apple store is unlike any other store I can think of.

Now, take all of the above and put it in the center of a New York City landmark, without detracting from the overall space.

The entire in-store experience is reflective of the online experience. I rarely hear people knocking the Apple web site or the Apple online store. There is little wonder why they are as successful as they are.

 

[mattnotis]

I think Apple puts out great products for the most part, but I have no idea why anyone would want to go to a store opening. What could the new store possibly have that the hundreds of other Apple retail locations don't have? If they were giving out free phones or computers or something SIGNIFICANT, I could see why everyone would make a big deal. But it's all the SAME **** at every store. People are stupid.

 

[thirteen1031]

Looks like you're being fooled by a bad meme....

[Looks like lots of Apple at Occupy Wall Street!

Again. How many Occupy people do you know personally? How many of those Apple products that you see are new? Bought after these people lost their jobs, not while they still had a job? Please, let me know, as you claim to be "in touch."

Apple is currently of the biggest, most popular sellers of laptops and tablets in the world, and there are a lot of their products out there. But that doesn't mean that everyone who has one waited in line to buy it new rather than getting it cheap and used, or from someone else as a hand-me-down. I've handed down at least three if not four Apple laptops to people over the last several years, for free or for cheap. Of the people I've given them to, not of them would or could wait in line at any store for a new Apple. Not even a shuffle.

So, please don't be fooled by that really bad meme out there--the one casting Occupy people as having money to buy Apple products simply because they happen to have such products on them. I'm sure if you lost your job tomorrow, you'd still have your laptop and phone. How would you feel if someone assumed you clearly had a job and money, and didn't need to be listened to, simply because you had those products on you?

The majority of those in Occupy are unemployed construction workers, nurses, teachers, Iraq veterans, etc. who would not, even if they could, wait in line to buy a new iPad or Macbook. The vast majority of the Apple products you see being used by those involved with Occupy are old, used, or gifts they got from friends or family. That is what I know. And unlike you, I am in touch with these people.

 

[Rodimus Prime]

Jesus, it's a store, not a concert.

Never under estimate the stupidity of Fanboys.
Remember Apple has a cult following and many people attend the church of Apple.

 

[AppleDroid]

Well, that looks like an absolutely hellish experience.

There has to be over 9000 people there.

 

[cvaldes]

There has to be over 9000 people there.

Not likely.

Madison Square Garden has a basketball seating capacity of 20,000 people; what is in the picture is not half of that. Yankee Stadium has a seating capacity of about 50,000. Again, this is not 20% of that.

My guess is that there is somewhere between 1,000 to 1,500 people in this photo, probably closer to the lower figure. At least ten percent are Apple employees. I frequently go to sold-out shows at The Fillmore in San Francisco; that venue's capacity is 1,200. This doesn't look much different than that.

 

[Hoppesangen]

Not likely.

Madison Square Garden has a basketball seating capacity of 20,000 people; what is in the picture is not half of that. Yankee Stadium has a seating capacity of about 50,000. Again, this is not 20% of that.

My guess is that there is somewhere between 1,000 to 1,500 people in this photo, probably closer to the lower figure. At least ten percent are Apple employees. I frequently go to sold-out shows at The Fillmore in San Francisco; that venue's capacity is 1,200. This doesn't look much different than that.

That went far over your head.

http://xspblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/over9000.jpg

 

[cvaldes]

How quaint, another Internet meme. I haven't paid much attention to those for years, 99% of them are indescribably lame.

 

[Steve121178]

WOW! I wonder if the Microsoft store openings were ever this busy?

You mean Microsoft the software company?

Most people buy or download Microsoft software on-line seeing as it's the best & fastest way to obtain software by Microsoft.

In my company I can push Microsoft applications out to 50,000 of my companies PC's remotely. I don't need to queue outside a store.

 

[sammich]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned the fact that Steve/Apple has probably wanted to take up a spot in the Station ever since they named one of their OS features as Grand Central Dispatch.

 

[squallkiercosa]

Any Resemblance Is Purely Coincidental

"The scenes I witnessed at the opening of the new Apple store in London's Covent Garden were more like an evangelical prayer meeting than a chance to buy a phone or a laptop.

When the doors finally opened, they hysterically "high-fived" and cheered hundreds of delirious customers flooding in through the doors for hours on end.

And what did those customers - some who'd travelled from as far away as the US and China and slept on the pavement for the privilege - find when they finally got inside?

Well, all the same stuff as in the Apple store half a mile away on Regent Street. No special offers, no free gifts (a few t-shirts were handed out), no exclusive products. Now that's devotion"


http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-13416598

 

[samcraig]

As someone who lives in NYC - it's great that there's another store that will, perhaps, reduce/claim some customers at another location and free up some resources at others. Plus the money coming in from taxes is also great.

I personally do not use GCT often - but my wife does and as others have said - on launch days - if this is the scene - it's going to be pure hell. Yes, those that work/live in the city are used to crowds and navigating them - but that picture speaks volumes for the frustration pending for those that need to get to their gates.

It's a store. Is it really an accomplishment or something worth "bragging rights" to say "I was there when the Apple Store opened in GCT!"

As another said - unless you actually needed to buy something or needed service/help - why go? Now if you happened to be commuting at the time and took a quick look or stopped in - sure. But that crowd is ridiculous.

 

[stevemiller]

this is human nature at work. i live next to the former maple leaf gardens arena in toronto, canada. the building was recently converted into a grocery store. they advertised the hell out of its grand opening, and sure as sh** i said to myself on opening day "i have a few groceries i need, might as well check out the new place."

got there and there was a line to enter stretching around the block. for a grocery store.

convince people they can be "a part of something special", and they will flock to you. i for one turned on my heel and went to a different grocery store 2-minutes away. and a day later i was able to wander in and look at the new place with no line at all.

to me its unsettling how many people let themselves get pulled into "the mystical" at the direct expense of the pragmatic. now maybe thats just me being boring, and in these sorts of cases its mostly harmless, but i still think its a behaviour that is troublingly easy to manipulate.

looking forward to some down votes!

 

[RobertMartens]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; CPU iPhone OS 5_0_1 like Mac OS X) AppleWebKit/534.46 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.1 Mobile/9A405 Safari/7534.48.3)

Looks like a miserable experience, i love apple, but i would not show up to this.. apple stores are busy enough on any normal day when you need to buy something, i don't get the big deal, its not like its the first store in NYC theres other stores if you need to go buy something, and its not like theres any new products on sale at this specific store. so why the crowd? Are all these people showing up for a free t shirt? if thats the case ...wow

you said "I don't get it" about three different ways

it's ok if you don't get it

you probably get other things

 

[vito]

Awesome gathering of Apple-ites - Beautiful store,

I've been to a few store openings and also queued up and met some great people

A lot of companies out there poke fun at this type of behavior but secretly and deep down they would love to replicate it and those folk who think its sad, let them continue to to do so, we love

 

[AppleDroid]

How quaint, another Internet meme. I haven't paid much attention to those for years, 99% of them are indescribably lame.

Many people who are ignorant about something (internet memes in this case) feel the need to criticize or belittle those who participate in them.

That said I was wrong. There's only 8,999 people.

 

[AlterEg0]

Would have gone, but I had a job interview... Makes you wonder about these people, doesn't it?

Thats ok. A true Apple Fanboy (which you are) doesn't need a job, just a 500 credit score, drowning in debt and living from paycheck to paycheck.

 

[Joos24]

You mean Microsoft the software company?

Most people buy or download Microsoft software on-line seeing as it's the best & fastest way to obtain software by Microsoft.

In my company I can push Microsoft applications out to 50,000 of my companies PC's remotely. I don't need to queue outside a store.

Yet still Microsoft has a store. So what's your point?

 

[Steve121178]

Yet still Microsoft has a store. So what's your point?

My point was clearly made. The overwhelming majority of Microsoft sales is done via download & licensing. Microsoft stores will never ever get the same response Apple stores do.

Microsoft stores have a purpose, but who in their right mind will go out of their way to go to a Microsoft store when you can just download the software from home? I'd wager the prices in the store will be more expensive than online too.

If you want Microsoft peripherals then there's millions of stores that cater for this market already. You don't need to make a beeline to a Microsoft store to get a keyboard & mouse!

 

[vito]

My point was clearly made. The overwhelming majority of Microsoft sales is done via download & licensing. Microsoft stores will never ever get the same response Apple stores do.

Microsoft stores have a purpose, but who in their right mind will go out of their way to go to a Microsoft store when you can just download the software from home? I'd wager the prices in the store will be more expensive than online too.

If you want Microsoft peripherals then there's millions of stores that cater for this market already. You don't need to make a beeline to a Microsoft store to get a keyboard & mouse!

Mostly pre-loaded onto new desktops as per standard, their OEM business keeps them alive to this very day etc. They sell via reseller's which is why the service is inconsistent.

You're obviously missing the point, it's about the experience not just going in and grabbing a "keyboard and mouse". Apple stores offer more than just the opportunity to purchase a product.

Don't confuse enterprise and end user sales!

Having said that, Microsoft have attempted entering the retail market directly with their own version of stores which does suggest they must believe its a good approach to better showcase/sell their products.