29th Street Apple Store Opening

by , 7:30 PM EDT, October 13th, 2006

Apple opened its 29th Street Mall store in Boulder, Colorado, at 10:00am on Friday, October 13. A crowd started to form early, and by the time the doors officially opened, a line of anxious customers worked its way along the front of the building and around the side.

Waiting in the cold at sunrise. (Click the thumbnail for a larger image)

The crowd grew as the morning warmed up. (Click the thumbnail for a larger image)

Fans began lining up at about 5:00am, but the 36 degree weather kept most people from arriving until later when the temperature began to rise. By 8:00am, the line was growing quickly, and people were already surfing the Web on their laptops thanks to the store's free AirPort access.

Working on a PowerBook in line. (Click the thumbnail for a larger image)

The line continues to grow. (Click the thumbnail for a larger image)

Earlier in the day, Apple announced the iPod nano (PRODUCT) RED, and a drop shipment arrived in time for the opening. Employees had just enough time to set one up for display before customers flooded the store.

Employees set up the just announced red iPod nano. (Click the thumbnail for a larger image)

The 29th Street Mall store includes some design features inspired by the 5th Avenue New York flagship store. Large tables make for easier access to demo Macs and iPods, and check out counters are conspicuously missing. Instead of cash registers, employees use handheld product scanners to process transactions. They can either print or email you a receipt, and have you on your way without waiting in lines.

The iPod nano (PRODUCT) RED. (Click the thumbnail for a larger image)

A Genius Bar, iPod Bar and Studio Bar are all tucked away at the back of the store. Since they are all physically distinct and separate from merchandise displays, there should be fewer distractions.

The first customers coming into the store. (Click the thumbnail for a larger image)

Overall, customers seemed pleased with the new store layout style. And even more were pleased with the location. Boulder residents have been clamoring for an Apple Store for years, and today's opening fills what many have seen as a glaring gap in Apple's retail lineup.

The store filled up quickly. (Click the thumbnail for a larger image)

The day's excitement came from more than just the customers. Store employees were equally pumped up. Senior Assistant manager Kirt Hampson said "I'll have a smile on my face until I die or I'm not working for Apple."

A special thanks to Matt Tracy for providing some of the images.