Sydney Apple Store Grand Opening [UPDATED w/PIC]

Back at the end of May I (Brad) posted some of the first pix of the newly unveiled Sydney Apple Store that were seen around the world (via numerous tech news websites that I emailed), and knew I had to be one of the first inside. So, having completed my 8hrs of work at 3pm today (Thursday, 19 June), I hopped the train from St. Leonards to Wynyard and made my way into the line, which by what I could see, quickly wrapped about a kilometre and a half up George St, around and down King St and curving back onto York St pretty much all the way down to Market St.

Yes, all you get when you make it inside is a throng of Apple store employees applauding and slapping your hands, and the collector's item, Bondi Blue Apple store t-shirt (mine read "store's up" on the front (homage to aussie surfing), but you don't go for the t-shirt. You go for the experience. Its like going to a rock concert or standing in line to see the stars walk the red carpet into the Academy Awards.

This time, however, you were taking part in one of the most brilliant shows of capitalism around. I mean, how can you get 3,000+ people to stand in line for hours (and it briefly rained...which didn't deter anyone), who have only heard about it via word of mouth (there was no advertising dollars spent, period.), and they're just going to walk around inside a store that sells things (Macs/iPods, etc) that have been sold in other stores (one, literally just around the corner, NextByte) for a long time???

I'll tell you how they do it...they're Apple, and they make products people actually love to own, and they do it so brilliantly, that they have created a cult following. (ok, so the architecture of the store was pretty sweet az, as well! the glass staircase is a must see)

Amidst all the chaos and throngs of people and cheering inside, I made my way up to the third floor and found the man I wanted to shake hands with, Ron Johson (Apple's Senior VP of Retail Operations, the genius who led the Apple retail chain to a billion dollars in annual sales within two years of their debut), who, surprisingly enough, should have been thronged himself, was only with one other person (perhaps no one knew who he was???), so I got a brief minute to speak with him (should have got a picture with him, but chickend out at the last second).