Employees cheered shoppers as they entered the store.
Little Rock Police officers guard the front entrance to the Apple Store at The Promenade at Chenal.
Jay Wilson, 15, of Benton shows off his heavily used iPhone 4. Wilson's family was first in line for the Apple Store grand opening. They arrived at 5:30 p.m. the night before the open.
Apple Store employees begin getting ready for the influx of customers. The first 1,000 visitors received a free Apple t-shirt.
Inside the Apple Store less than an hour before its grand opening. The 7,500-square-foot store is one of the bigger Apple Stores in the company's portfolio.
Apple's customer service and technical support hub, the Genius Bar.
Apple employees survey the gathering crowd outside the store. Just before open, around 300 shoppers lined up.
The crowd is finally allowed in.
Inside the crowded Apple Store.
An Apple employee rings up a customer, Justin Bank of Little Rock. No cash registers necessary; the employee scans credit cards with a special iPod Touch. Receipts are emailed to customers.
Saturday was the big day. The new 7,500-square-foot Apple Store opened at The Promenade at Chenal in west Little Rock.
A small group camped out overnight, and at 6 a.m. there were about 20 people in line. And by the time Apple threw the doors open at 10, there were around 300 folks clamoring to get in. The first 1,000 visitors got a free T-shirt.
The first in line? The Wilson family: L.J. and his children Jay and Trinity of Benton. Technically, R.J. told me, his daughter Trinity was first in line, and indeed she was No. 1 to enter the store.
Inside, there's the usual Apple Store setup: minimal displays of iPhones, iMacs, iPads, iPods and accessories. The Genius Bar, Apple's customer service and technical support hub, lines the very back of the store. Apple employees ring up shoppers with specially equipped iPod Touches, which scan your item, swipe your debit or credit card and e-mail you the receipt. They make it really easy here to separate you from your money.
Apple employees were as excited as the shoppers, venturing outside the store before it opened to visit with the folks in line. Less than an hour before opening, each and every one ran outside the store and around the barricaded lines of shoppers to lead everyone in a cheer.
Below, video of my "Today's THV Saturday Morning" hit with Faith Abubey as we survey the early morning line outside the store and talk about the store opening in the context of Little Rock's retail scene. After that, more video from the day's opening.
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