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94 Baker Street (former site of Apple boutique), London
This location marked the Beatles' initial foray into Apple ventures, which, as described by Paul, was intended to be "a beautiful place where beautiful people can buy beautiful things."
How it all started is not very clear, but in September 1967, the Beatles entrusted a trio of Dutch designers (who later became known as "the Fool") with a sum of £100,000 to conceptualize and stock their new Apple boutique. Across the entire front and side of the store, a huge psychedelic mural was painted in hippie fashion – with rainbows and other psychedelic imagery – before complaints from local merchants, leading to the mural being covered with whitewash (presumably still concealed beneath the paint).
The boutique itself opened its doors in December 1967, with a grand launch party attended by John Lennon and George Harrison, accompanied by their wives, as well as notable figures like Eric Clapton, Cilla Black, Kenneth Tynan, and others. Surprisingly, guests were seen sipping on apple juice since the shop lacked an alcohol license.
The stock was mostly comprised of fashion garments and accessories aimed at young people – all at the cutting edge of hippie chic – but turned out to be a financial disaster because it was instantly plagued with shoplifting, perpetrated by both customers and staff alike. A mere eight months after its inauguration, the Beatles grew disillusioned with the venture and decided to shutter down, retaining the best of the remaining merchandise for themselves. On the morning of Tuesday, July 30, 1968, they threw open the doors for a last time, inviting the public to help themselves to the remaining stock.
How it all started is not very clear, but in September 1967, the Beatles entrusted a trio of Dutch designers (who later became known as "the Fool") with a sum of £100,000 to conceptualize and stock their new Apple boutique. Across the entire front and side of the store, a huge psychedelic mural was painted in hippie fashion – with rainbows and other psychedelic imagery – before complaints from local merchants, leading to the mural being covered with whitewash (presumably still concealed beneath the paint).
The boutique itself opened its doors in December 1967, with a grand launch party attended by John Lennon and George Harrison, accompanied by their wives, as well as notable figures like Eric Clapton, Cilla Black, Kenneth Tynan, and others. Surprisingly, guests were seen sipping on apple juice since the shop lacked an alcohol license.
The stock was mostly comprised of fashion garments and accessories aimed at young people – all at the cutting edge of hippie chic – but turned out to be a financial disaster because it was instantly plagued with shoplifting, perpetrated by both customers and staff alike. A mere eight months after its inauguration, the Beatles grew disillusioned with the venture and decided to shutter down, retaining the best of the remaining merchandise for themselves. On the morning of Tuesday, July 30, 1968, they threw open the doors for a last time, inviting the public to help themselves to the remaining stock.
Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in London. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.
94 Baker Street (former site of Apple boutique) on Map
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Sight Name: 94 Baker Street (former site of Apple boutique)
Sight Location: London, England (See walking tours in London)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: London, England (See walking tours in London)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
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