belfast apple store opens
September 20th, 2008
After months of anticipation a beautiful Apple Store opened this morning in Victoria Square, Belfast.
Although I’ve only been a mac-geek for 5 months, I tend to not do anything by halves, and so I was there bright and early to queue for my t-shirt, along with those who had been there for hours before me. 10 minutes before the doors opened, all the staff ran out cheering and high-fiving those waiting in line. This only helped build the excitement further. The cheers didn’t stop for long before the doors were opened and the first of those who had been waiting overnight ran towards the noising and very enthusiastic staff. Collect t-shirt and high-five as many as possible along the “tunnel of joy”.
Immediately those first in headed straight upstairs, past the array of alluring Macbooks, iMacs, iPods and the like to the kids section, books, software, accessories and the ‘Genius Bar’ complete with new logo, as per iTunes v8.
“Oh but its just a store! A shop. With stuff you buy!.”
Yes, all true indeed. But no, not just a store. A store filled with beautiful things that make our lives sweeter, and customer service to the highest degree. I kid you not, this is Belfast, and as such cynicism is almost required at a time like this, but for a change I am not cynical about the customer service received by Apple.
Everything here revolves around the customer. Few things are off limits and everything is on display; which is exactly where they win people over. I realise I’m being very clichéd right now… I will stop. It’s a pretty shop and I will be back many times.
I didn’t buy anything today, though I will be back soon to purchase a book I spotted on Aperture and too plea with them to allow me to change my current O2 contract to a sweet iPhone contract. And if anything goes wrong, I know just where to go.
More photos on Flickr.
