What happens when Apple opens it’s largest store ever at one of the most heavily-trafficed transportation hubs in America? If you guessed total mayhem, you’d be right.
OK, maybe “mayhem” is too strong a word. But the Apple-loving crowd at New York’s Grand Central Station certainly threw a wrench in this morning’s commute, lining up around the terminal to be some of the first fanboys and fangirls to set foot in the newest Mecca of consumer electronic-dom, the 23,000-sq-foot Grand Central Apple store.
The first 4,000 people to walk up the marble staircases that lead to the new Apple retail location will be awarded with an exclusive t-shirt that reads “Apple Store, Grand Central,” designed to look like a train arrival board. Giving out these kinds of shirts has long been a tradition at the opening of Apple stores, and snagging one sits at the top of the heap of reasons people are willing to wait in line for the doors to finally open.
In addition to its sprawling size, the Grand Central Apple store will employ 315 workers, have the largest-ever Personal Setup area, and feature not one, but two — two! — Genius Bars. The store is open from 7am to 9pm Monday through Friday, 10am to 7pm Saturdays, and 11am to 6pm on Sundays.
The picture above was shot by Fortune editor Philip Elmer-Dewitt. Check out his video of the crowd here.
Correction: An earlier version of this article stated that Philip Elmer-Dewitt works for Forbes. He does not. He works for Fortune. I apologize for this error.
