Tonight, Rebecca, Catherine and I attended the grand opening of Apple’s first retail store in Boston, Apple Store Boylston Street. We drove down after work, parked at the Boston Common Garage, and walked the eight blocks or so to the Apple Store. By the time we arrived at 5 p.m., we found that the line had wound its way around the corner, down Fairfield Street, and all the way to Commonwealth Ave. That’s where we got in line. We spent the next hour and a half inching forward, all the while taking in the sights and sounds of the grandest Apple Store opening I’ve ever seen.
The crowd in line behind us.
Fox 25 does an interview. It was on the 11 o’ clock news. Catherine’s pigtail made it into a shot. 🙂
An anti-DRM activist attempting to educate the Apple fanboys as to why DRM is evil.
At 5:45 p.m., the store’s employees ran the length of the line to fire up the crowd, and by 6 p.m. the store was open. We finally reached the front of the line at 6:30 p.m., to be greeted with thunderous applause.
The welcoming committee.
We each received a complimentary Apple Store t-shirt. They were green with “Opening Day” lettering in the style of Fenway Park’s Green Monster. We spent a while walking around the store, checking out the spiffy architecture, the crowds, and, oh, the Apple products.
Spiral Staircase
Apple Logo
Catherine was a real trooper through the whole event, considering we were corralled in line for an hour and a half, and unable to move more than a few feet at a time. She was rewarded for her patience three times over: She was reportedly the first baby to make use of the changing table in the restrooms, had some Apple employees film her for promotional material (maybe she’ll be in a new silhouette ad?), and even got to wear an employee’s badge!
Inaugural diaper change!
Catherine and her film crew
Catherine gets badge access! Make a run for the stockroom!!
All in all, we had a very fun time. This marks the fifth time I’ve waited in line for an Apple Store opening (Northshore, Burlington, Chestnut Hill and Derby Street were the others), and it was certainly the most spectacular! It’s always great to soak in the geeky vibes of the Apple fanatics.
To see all of our photos from the event, visit our Apple Store Boylston Street gallery.
How awesome is that, that Catherine was the inaugural diaper change? Very cool. Can’t wait to bring my two year old to the store and experience the awesomeness. Been meaning to get her into Boston.
I was at the opening, too, and was glad to see the Apple Store employees give it up for the little kids who were there. It was awesome.
I can see Catherine’s future-she is already becoming more and more like her dad!! That is too cute how much attention she got. I hope she makes it on video!!
Is this all part of “resistance is futile, you will be assimilated” for Catherine?