"Cheering and screaming is encouraged," an Apple official said moments before chief executive officer Tim Cook walked in to open the company's second retail store, with chants of "Saket, Saket, Saket" echoing throughout the massive mall where the store is located.
Despite the sweltering heat in Delhi, Cook's infectious energy and upbeat attitude were on full display as he welcomed customers into the store. He happily posed for selfies, signed autographs and engaged in lively conversation with fans, who left feeling even more impressed by the tech giant.
"What an incredible reception, Delhi, thank you! We’re delighted to welcome our customers to our newest store—Apple Saket!" Cook said in a tweet after the launch.
Located on a single floor (unlike the two-floor layout of the Mumbai store) inside Select City Walk, one of Delhi's popular malls, Apple Saket may require a bit of searching to find. With an estimated carpet area of just 8,400 square feet, this store is a far cry from the extravagant and grandiose structures that Delhi is known for.
However, size is not a concern for Apple enthusiasts in Delhi who are simply excited to have an Apple Store in their city.
All about the experience
At first glance, the Apple Saket store provides a more personal and intimate experience compared to the Apple BKC store in Mumbai. As customers enter, they are greeted with a unique curved storefront that displays Apple's products and accessories on white oak tables. Additionally, the store has a specially designed feature wall that showcases a colourful display of phone covers, AirPods and an arcade centre.
The Apple Saket store is also 100 percent sustainable, just like its BKC, Mumbai, counterpart and has more than 70 highly skilled retail team members who come from 18 states and collectively speak more than 15 languages.
Aayush Jain, who brought a collection of Apple products including an iBook from 1999, a first-generation iPad and an Apple Watch, was ecstatic to witness the opening of the first Apple store in Delhi.
"I am here for the experience and this is one area where size (of the store) doesn't matter," said Jain.
Lakshya and Luv Chopra, twin brothers from Gurugram, were thrilled to receive an autograph from Cook. The twins were carrying an eye-catching teardown artwork of the iPhone 4S, which impressed the Apple CEO.
The brothers thanked Cook for bringing a retail store to India. "We had been waiting for Tim for so long and were so excited to finally meet him. It was a beautiful experience within the store, with so many products," Luv said. "We will return if another store opens in the country," he added.
Madhav Mimani, who had waited outside the mall since 7 pm on April 19, was the first to enter the store. His excitement knew no bounds as he stepped inside the store.
"I told Cook and Deirdre O'Brien (Apple's senior vice president of retail) that I was in Mumbai as well and made it for the Delhi launch too," Mimani said of his conversation with Cook. "I gave them double high-fives!"
Mimani purchased AirTags and had them autographed by Cook and O'Brien. "Every store that I go to, I will get an AirTag, get it signed, and all of it goes on my wall as a souvenir," he added.
Jasneet Singh Kohli, an e-commerce manager for a sneaker reselling brand, expressed his excitement about the features offered by Apple products. He told Moneycontrol that he hopes to see more integrations in future products that are specifically focused on Indian culture, similar to what we have seen with the introduction of emojis such as the Sikh emoji.
"My hands were shivering while taking a selfie (with Cook). I have no words to describe the feeling. The store and the atmosphere are amazing, and I managed to get tons of pictures, so I am very happy," said Kohli, who purchased an Apple TV 4K at the launch event.
Sumit Raj and Ankur Soni walked into the store carrying a rucksack having arrived by train from Allahabad specifically for the launch. They said that experiencing the launch was a really big deal for them.
"I grew up watching Apple Store events on YouTube, and today I am witnessing it live, so it is a dream come true moment for us," said Raj, who took the day off work to attend the store's opening.
“It is a great feeling to be here but I am upset that I missed the opportunity to meet and get a selfie with Cook,” said Soni.
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