Apple Store

Apple iPhones and iPods have taken the country by storm. News channels have played and replayed video of people in long lines waiting to get their hands on the newest models, with wide grins on their faces as they make their way out of the store. This is what 24-year-old Jack Assadourian lives for. He is the owner of Invisible Gadget Guard, a kiosk on the second floor of the Glendale Galleria, and he sells his wares outside the one place where people would go to buy an iPod or iPhone — the Apple Store.

Nine people sat on stools around a wooden table inside the Apple store on Wednesday to learn how to operate their new iPads — including Janice Serote, who got hers for her 70th birthday. The La Crescenta resident taught keyboarding at Glendale Community College for 38 years before retiring. But the iPad was Serote’s first foray into Macintosh and tablet computers. After buying an “iPad for Dummies” book, she enrolled in Wednesday’s free class at the Apple store in the Galleria.

Scenes of jubilation and excitement like that at the Americana at Brand played out at Apple stores across the nation today as fans waited in lines for hours to buy the latest iteration of the iPhone. Hundreds of people waited in line at the Americana this morning to be among the first owners of the new iPhone 4S. Even Steve Wozniak, who co-founded Apple with the late Steve Jobs, waited in line waiting for hours to buy the latest iPhone at an Apple Store in Los Gatos. Millions of the iPhone 4s were expected to fly off shelves today after Apple announced earlier this month that pre-orders had topped 1 million within 24 hours.

Tim Willert DOWNTOWN -- Apple Computer Inc. will test the retail market for the first time today when it opens a 7,131-square-foot store at the Glendale Galleria. The Apple store will be the first on the West Coast and is one of 25 retail stores the company plans to open by the end of the year, officials announced this week. "Every location we chose for our retail stores is chosen because we felt that they are strategically located to help us reach our goal," said Lynn Fox, an Apple spokeswoman.

Karen S. Kim DOWNTOWN -- Those hoping to get a jump on their holiday shopping Friday at the Glendale Galleria can expect live piano music to help shift them into the spirit of the season. Pianist Stephen Jacob will perform periodically between 11 a.m and 5 p.m., entertaining passersby with holiday classics. Jacob is a classical and jazz pianist who has composed and performed solo and ensemble music for 14 recordings, including music for relaxation, meditation and children.

Kinko's copy stores to change name NORTHWEST GLENDALE -- Kinko's copy stores will change their names to reflect new ownership. The copy stores will reportedly become FedEx Kinko's Office and Print Center, according to news reports. FedEx Corp. recently acquired the copy company for $2.4 billion. One store is in Glendale, at 225 N. Brand Blvd. Another is at 2125 Foothill Blvd. in La Canada Flintridge. Two locations are in Burbank, 4100 Riverside Drive and 101 N. San Fernando Blvd.

TODAY GLENDALE The Executives Toastmasters Club meets at 7 a.m. at the Glendale YWCA, 735 E. Lexington Drive. For more information, call 248-2229. Glendale Adventist Medical Center offers pool exercise programs for participants with arthritis, muscle pain and weakness from 8 to 9 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. weekdays; and 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays at 1519 Wilson Terrace. The cost for individual sessions is $6. For more information, call 409-8000.

TODAY GLENDALE The Apple Store at Glendale Galleria presents a music workshop for those with intermediate to advanced skill levels, from 9 to 11 a.m. at 2148 Glendale Galleria. This event is part of the Apple Store's summer computer workshops through Aug. 5 for children ages 8 to 12. Admission is free. For more information, call 502-8310. The Glendale Certified Farmers Market is from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Brand Boulevard between Broadway and Wilson Avenue.

It appears much of the midnight Black Friday rush has dissipated in Glendale, making way for the morning crush of shoppers who decided to get a few hours of sleep after Thanksgiving to start their day. Shoppers who braved midnight store openings at the Glendale Galleria said the crowds had thinned somewhat since the early morning hours, a sign that the first wave had receded. For many, it was a race against the clock at the stroke of midnight before the second wave of traditional morning shoppers arrived.

Tens of thousands of Black Friday shoppers flocked to stores at midnight in Glendale and Burbank, with waves of fresh reinforcements streaming in throughout what was a relatively typical start to the holiday retail season. Yvonne Rodriguez, 29, and her friends were among the diehard shoppers out looking for bargains on Friday. By 1 p.m., they had been hitting stores in the Glendale Galleria for more than 12 hours. “I've been up since 7 a.m. on Thanksgiving,” she said. When they arrived at the Glendale Galleria at 12:30 a.m. Friday, the parking garages were starting to fill up. “There was no parking,” she said.

It appears much of the midnight Black Friday rush has dissipated in Glendale, making way for the morning crush of shoppers who decided to get a few hours of sleep after Thanksgiving to start their day. Shoppers who braved midnight store openings at the Glendale Galleria said the crowds had thinned somewhat since the early morning hours, a sign that the first wave had receded. For many, it was a race against the clock at the stroke of midnight before the second wave of traditional morning shoppers arrived.

Apple stores across the region will reportedly close temporarily this morning so employees can take part in a memorial celebrating the company's late founder Steve Jobs in Cupertino. The Jobs tribute at the company's headquarters will reportedly be broadcast live to store employees from 10 to 11:30 a.m. The same period has been blocked off on store online calendars for customer tech support appointments. So far, Apple has declined to comment on the store closures despite widespread media reports on the tribute, including in the Wall Street Journal.

Scenes of jubilation and excitement like that at the Americana at Brand played out at Apple stores across the nation today as fans waited in lines for hours to buy the latest iteration of the iPhone. Hundreds of people waited in line at the Americana this morning to be among the first owners of the new iPhone 4S. Even Steve Wozniak, who co-founded Apple with the late Steve Jobs, waited in line waiting for hours to buy the latest iPhone at an Apple Store in Los Gatos. Millions of the iPhone 4s were expected to fly off shelves today after Apple announced earlier this month that pre-orders had topped 1 million within 24 hours.

As people shuffled past the Apple store at the Americana at Brand Thursday, some stopped to snap photos, others to inspect - not the latest iPhone, but a makeshift memorial in honor of the company's late co-founder, Steve Jobs. As Apple customers reflected on Jobs' contributions, and how the Mac brand would be without him, it was clear his reach extended past generations and personal backgrounds. The memorial, which included flowers, a candle, photos and cards, featured a written message next to a drawing of a crying apple, a nod to Apple's ubiquitous logo.

Just as the sun started to make its presence felt Saturday, tan and black umbrellas popped open at the front of a long line of people. The line snaked east to Brand Boulevard from the Americana at Brand fountain. A DJ was bobbing to the tunes he was spinning atop an orange trolley as the crowd chatted, took photos and waited patiently. The roughly 400 people who were in line, some since 4 a.m., were awaiting the 10 a.m. opening of the Apple Store at the Americana.

Nine people sat on stools around a wooden table inside the Apple store on Wednesday to learn how to operate their new iPads — including Janice Serote, who got hers for her 70th birthday. The La Crescenta resident taught keyboarding at Glendale Community College for 38 years before retiring. But the iPad was Serote’s first foray into Macintosh and tablet computers. After buying an “iPad for Dummies” book, she enrolled in Wednesday’s free class at the Apple store in the Galleria.

By the time I discovered my iPhone was lost, I knew the odds of finding it were slim to none. I dashed in to Vons to grab a coffee before writing last week’s column. After adding cream and Splenda to my cup of joe, I forgot to pick up my phone. I went home, spent a couple of hours writing and soon after realized the phone was gone. My 10-year-old daughter, with her optimistic heart, tried calling the phone to see if someone would pick up. Unfortunately, her call went straight to voice mail, indicating the phone had already been switched off. “I once found a credit card in a store and gave it to the store manager,” she told me. The thought that my daughter’s sense of right and wrong was in the right place lifted my heart.

Apple iPhones and iPods have taken the country by storm. News channels have played and replayed video of people in long lines waiting to get their hands on the newest models, with wide grins on their faces as they make their way out of the store. This is what 24-year-old Jack Assadourian lives for. He is the owner of Invisible Gadget Guard, a kiosk on the second floor of the Glendale Galleria, and he sells his wares outside the one place where people would go to buy an iPod or iPhone — the Apple Store.

Mariane Gerardo does not consider herself technically savvy and never waited overnight for anything, let alone a new cellphone. But there she was, with more than 150 other people on Friday morning, waiting eagerly for Apple’s newest offering — the second-version iPhone that officials say is faster and more powerful than its previous incarnation. Gerardo joined the line in front of the AT&T store at 207 N. Brand Blvd. at 11 p.m. Thursday, which was nearly seven hours after Martin Arakelyan drove from Hollywood to the store in Glendale.