Sanlitun Apple Store opened

When I though I've done covering Apple topics, especially after the iPhone 3G has officially launched and the Sydney Apple Store is opened, Apple made another surprise by opening up a new Apple Store in China.

The new Apple Store is located at Beijing's Sanlitun entertainment complex, which is supposedly overshadowed by a bigger store; the Adidas Store, but somewhat failed to achieve the same enthusiast atmosphere that Apple Store has created when opened last Saturday (July 19th).

Duncan Clark, CEO of BDA Media, a Beijing-based telecommunications consultancy and research firm, who visited the new Apple Store said: "I didn't even realize it (Adidas store) was open." Clark then added about the realism of Apple's products that have been around in China for quite sometime even before the official store is opened: "They're already here, there are maybe 800,000 of these devices that have been smuggled in, so China Mobile at some point, they might as well protect this customer base and partner with Apple to legitimize this market."

Over 400 Apple enthusiasts lined up Saturday morning -- some queueing since Friday night -- to be among the first customers at the opening of China's first Apple Store in Beijing. Every chinese Apple-fans are excited to be the first to enter the store. David Feng, head of the Beijing Macintosh Users Group, began camping out at 9 p.m. local time Friday night, putting him sixth in line. About 50 people waited overnight, with a few hundred more arriving before the opening, he said.

The Sanlitun Apple Store soon was over crowded with many spectators, either they're mesmerized by the store itself or by the product line-ups available inside. But many were there to take pictures, instead of making purchase. ~LOL~ Well, lucky for us then. Because we'll be able to enjoy the good pictures taken there, and as you can see the glass stairs is also present at Sanlitun Apple Store. But it's a pity that no detail on the glass stairs whereabout is mentioned...

And like the Sydney Apple Store opening days, this store also giving T-shirt souvenir to mark the grand opening day. There's some kind of additional rubber wrist-band inside though, nothing is mentioned about it right now.

Like always, click on each of the thumbnail pictures to enlarge them. Special thanks to helloraine, chumsdock & Jake Ji for the lovely pictures. Source is from PCW Business Center.

[blogged with my Treo 750v]