Apple store opening in Berlin: The apple and his house - STERN.DE

Who wants in the store, must through the screaming, cheering, clapping Apple employees-trellis. © Britta Pedersen / DPA

I m two years after Steve Jobs it opens its doors, the first Apple store in Berlin. The eleventh in Germany – five years after Munich. The 406 in the world. With approximately 5000 square feet on four floors but still one of the greatest ever, says one of the press guys who jump around as agile and dynamic between the blaubehemdeten vendors / consultants. Of which there should be more than 200 here. The one believes like, half an hour before a blue door opening parade through the waiting crowd draws – clapping and yelling “I’m feeling good We’re on Berlin!” chanting. That’s a bit much for Berlin’s America, the wait offensive. This smile face nailed it very distraught.

But it just part of the process. For as at Apple, nothing is left to chance, everything is strictly at the opening on schedule. There are seven locks for people that are allowed in the store. That is, hire, get map and sign that you are the right one’s own image in Apple’s hands. Around 1,500 willing to stand in the barriers since noon, a woman says a security guard.

Good things first: In the crush Apple was prepared. Security guards ordered the Apple disciple on the sidewalk. The bus lane was closed. © Britta Pedersen / DPA

road closure for Apple

Before the business the bus lane is closed on Regent Street, for sightseers piled up on the green stripe in the middle of the street. Apple really needs to pay for the blocking and the officials? “Probably not, says a police officer, while the Apple reps now inside, behind the still closed doors fidget, jump and scream. These, that Apple just does not really go well, it shows nothing.’s Apple seems people still always happy to make.

Since Thursday morning at six sitting Oliver Wieczorek, 43, and Christian Henkel, 52, in front of the store to be the first. There is on the one hand a T-shirt, on the other hand life is always so uniform, the cheerful Henkel explains. “Other people collect matchbooks, I go up to the Apple Store.” The staff had even brought them coffee and croissants in the morning. “The living are of such crazies like us.” And no, they do not pay Apple the way.

Impressive live event theater

250 Apple products are in as to be expected from well designed store. Floors: Italian marble tables: German oak walls: Kirchheim shell. The 100 year old building was until 13 years ago, a cinema, a film stage Vienna. Took two years of renovation. When the door finally rises by 17 clock 02, and visitors have struggled through the blue, cheering, clapping trellis, many are actually a bit hit.

especially in the second and third floor. There is the old cinema hall, which is now a so-called event-theater. Under the eight-meter-high ceiling to be charged regularly to concerts, workshops and discussions. All for free. The question of whether there will be live coverage of Apple’s infamous product launches, but crashes on silent smile from the PR rep.

“The T-shirts do not fit eh”

The Apple Store sees itself as a community center can Apple Sales Vice Steve Cano in the U.S. know. I want people to come and spend time here, after they have bought an Apple product. Courses for business people, for children, for the common Apple users. Personalization is the key. Remains to be seen whether the new magic juice are dwindling.

“The First”, Christian Henkel and Oliver Wieczorek, are a bit tired but still excited at one of the oak tables, before the T-shirts. “They come packaged in the original cabinet. Anyway, the fit is not,” says Henkel and points with roaring laughter at his midsection. “This is all a bit gaga, but the atmosphere is already crazy,” he says, then something more serious. He had sore muscles from the high fives. “And you know what, I thought ‘My hayfever one eye has been watering all the time, and I did.’: Boy, you can not wipe, then think, you cry.”