Long Queues At Apple Store Opening: Six Other Brand Launches That Created A Buzz In India
While fans thronged to Apple's first India store opening on Tuesday, these brands also saw long queues and massive crowds at their openings
Apple opened its first retail store in India at Mumbai's Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) on Tuesday. Fans lined up in long queues outside for hours, waiting for the doors to the 28,000 sq ft space to open.
Apple CEO Tim Cook was there to welcome visitors and snapped selfies with fans and celebrities alike. He was also greeted by a superfan who brought along his vintage Apple computer from 1984 to the opening.
The exclusive store opening marks the tech giant's 25 years in India, and the buzz is likely to carry on as the launch will be followed by the opening of another retail outlet in New Delhi's Saket on Thursday.
While Apple's fandom is palpable, throngs of fans lining up for a store launch is not in the least a new phenomenon. Here's a look back at other brands that had grand store openings in Indian cities:
Tim Hortons
Canada's largest coffee chain launched two outlets in Delhi-NCR at Select Citywalk Mall in Saket and DLF Cyberhub in 2022. Massive crowds reportedly waited outside the outlets even before the ribbons were cut.
IKEA
I...
Apple opened its first retail store in India at Mumbai's Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) on Tuesday. Fans lined up in long queues outside for hours, waiting for the doors to the 28,000 sq ft space to open.
Apple CEO Tim Cook was there to welcome visitors and snapped selfies with fans and celebrities alike. He was also greeted by a superfan who brought along his vintage Apple computer from 1984 to the opening.
The exclusive store opening marks the tech giant's 25 years in India, and the buzz is likely to carry on as the launch will be followed by the opening of another retail outlet in New Delhi's Saket on Thursday.
While Apple's fandom is palpable, throngs of fans lining up for a store launch is not in the least a new phenomenon. Here's a look back at other brands that had grand store openings in Indian cities:
Tim Hortons
Canada's largest coffee chain launched two outlets in Delhi-NCR at Select Citywalk Mall in Saket and DLF Cyberhub in 2022. Massive crowds reportedly waited outside the outlets even before the ribbons were cut.
IKEA
Ikea opened its first store in the country in Hyderabad in 2018 to a whopping 40,000 customers on the first day. Reports of stampede-like situations had surfaced and the road leading up to the store at HITEC City in Cyberabad was jam-packed.
H&M
The Swedish fashion retail chain opened its first store in New Delhi's Select Citywalk mall in 2015. About 2,500 people had queued up outside for the grand opening, with many having spent the night waiting in line.
Sephora
The French beauty retailer launched its second store in the country at DLF Promenade mall in Delhi on Valentine's Day in 2014. The doors opened to long queues and had over 600 visitors within three hours of opening, Vogue reported.
Starbucks
When Starbucks opened its first branch in Mumbai's Elphinstone Building in 2012, the queues were not limited to the opening day. For the next few weeks, queues of up to 50 people lined up outside daily.
McDonald's
McDonald's opened two outlets in India in 1996 - in Mumbai and Delhi - to eager and curious crowds. The openings didn't see any protests, a stark difference from the demonstrations and vandalism that marred KFC and Pizza Hut's entry into the country.
