|
Big Shoulders & Fast Macs (6/27/03)
|
 
|
| | |
Don't forget, Windy City Mac fans: tonight marks the long-awaited grand opening of the Apple Store North Michigan Avenue, the first such retail paradise in Chicago-- or, as a non-English-speaking tourist once described the city to us, "Chicago! Bang-bang! Bang-bang!" Personally, we've never attended an evening opening before, so we're not at all sure of the lining-up protocol, but we're guessing there's probably at least a few Mac-heads who have been in line since early this morning, and if we had to guess, we'd surmise that tonight's shindig may indeed turn into a real hootenanny. Hey, who spiked the punch?
This is one of Apple's mondo huge "special" stores à la SoHo and The Grove, and besides being the first Apple store within the Chicago city limits (as opposed to being way out in the 'burbs like Woodfield and Oakbrook), the Magnificent Mile store boasts a couple of other notable features. We've mentioned this before, but the Chicago store contains Apple's first Internet Café; there's no word yet on what libations it'll offer (if any), but in our book, they'd better not go calling it a "café" if you can't get at least a decent double-shot. Plus, MacMinute points out that Chicago's store also has a class studio, a 40-foot Genius Bar (that's a whooooole lotta Genius!), and an "eco-friendly greenroof garden." Gol-ly. No wonder construction took over two years to complete. Just take a gander at these here photos.
Sadly, while the AtAT staff lists Chicago as one of its spiritual home towns, seeing as we're currently sweltering in a 99° heat index about a thousand miles away, we can't make it to the Michigan Avenue opening like we went to the Woodfield and Wauwatosa ones-- at least, we can't be there in person. But word has it that every Mac in the Internet Café is equipped with iChat AV and one of those spiffy new iSight cameras (actually, Apple's going to be giving away a bunch of 'em-- good luck!), so if you're going to be at the big event, consider trying to videoconference with us. We're hoping to be online and all videoed up as "AtAT" during at least part of the grand opening festivities, and with a little luck maybe we can join you there in a virtual fashion. Too bad you won't be able to IM us some decent pizza.
Next up, retail-wise: the grand opening of the Apple Store Boca Raton in Florida on July 3rd, as noted by faithful viewer hutchinator. Erm... Alligators! Theme parks! Really wild stuff! Or something.
| |
| |
 |
SceneLink (4042)
|  |
 |
|
And Now For A Word From Our Sponsors |
| | | |
|
| |
|
 | | The above scene was taken from the 6/27/03 episode: June 27, 2003: Chicago braces itself for the imminent grand opening of its own gi-normous Apple retail store, and the AtAT staff hopes to attend-- albeit in pixellated, voice-laggy, iChat AV form. Meanwhile, Europeans get a brief reprieve from the insidious time-sucking, money-draining blight known as the iTunes Music Store, and Microsoft once again gets away with virtual murder...
Other scenes from that episode: 4043: European Invasion Delayed (6/27/03) Good news, Europe: you've been granted a reprieve! You've probably already heard that the iTunes Music Store won't be coming to your continent until later than Apple originally projected; The Independent recently reported that the rollout may even be delayed until sometime next year, due to "disputes between record companies and their artists over licensing."... 4044: Winning The Waiting Game (6/27/03) It's an age-old AtAT tradition to send you all off on your respective weekends with something to fume about, and what better to raise one's hackles than yet another instance of Microsoft getting away with something shifty?...
Or view the entire episode as originally broadcast... | |  |
|
|
