Saturday, Nov. 15, 2008

Shoppers take bite out of Apple as Modesto mall expands

Like moths to a flame, shoppers were drawn in droves to the glowing new offerings at The Village at Vintage Faire on Friday.

The grand opening of the new addition to the mall saw crowds of hundreds flock to the four new stores.

While Coldwater Creek, Coach and Bebe had opened earlier in the week, the Apple store waited until the celebrations started at 6 p.m. to open its doors.

Crowds started forming at 1:45 p.m. to be among the first in the Northern San Joaquin Valley's only Apple store. By 15 minutes to opening, the line stretched around the corner and to the Gottschalks store.

As the clock struck 6, the 60-plus Apple employees readied themselves to greet the first customers.

Boisterous, sustained whoops, cheers, claps and high-fives welcomed everyone who entered, along with free T-shirts for the first several hundred.

"It was worth the wait," said Modesto resident Elaine Wright, who lined up at 3 p.m. to enter. "I've never seen so much joy."

Free attractions a hit

While the night was a celebration of the completion of the first phase of the Village extension at Vintage Faire Mall, the new shops weren't the only attraction.

The carnival atmosphere brought in a diverse crowd, from families with little kids to older couples and teenagers. People came for the entertainment and freebies, which included tethered hot air balloon rides, ice skating, a Christmas pa- rade, live music, samples of kettle corn, mini doughnuts and Starbucks coffee.

The big blowout was designed to build excitement around the new high-end retailers. And it seemed to be working.

Store employees and shoppers were confident the ad- ditions would be a success despite the difficult economic climate.

"Everyone is so excited," said Jaime Cavitt, a saleswoman at Coldwater Creek. "(All the employees) are thrilled with this section of the mall. Everyone who comes in says they are so happy that we are finally here."

Each shop is new to the area; for most, the next closest location is in the Bay Area. Retailers had the same new store smell of fresh paint and just-cleaned floors, but inside the ambience couldn't be more different.

Coldwater Creek was awash in potpourri and win- ter sweaters. Bebe was a shining mecca for women who were young and young at heart with its assortment of flirtier wear. Coach brought in devotees to its luxury leather goods.

Shop until you're broke

Johansen High senior Jamie Courtney brought her boyfriend Ernesto Madueno with her to shop at Bebe. The 18-year-old had two bags of purchases from other stores around her wrist.

"I had to go to Bebe before I spent all of my money," she said. "I was so excited they were coming here. The only bad thing is that now I'm going to be broke."

Bebe manager Nicole Ty- ler said the shop had a soft- opening Thursday. Still, without any advertising or announcements, the store pulled in the highest sales numbers for the day in its district, which stretches from Sacramento to Fresno.

Throughout the night, musical performers such as pop acts Varsity Fanclub and the LA Allstars performed for the gathering crowds.

The shoppers who couldn't afford to buy anything enjoyed window-shopping. Modesto resident Dottie Fuqua came with her daughter Regina West and granddaughter Ashley. While the younger ladies shopped inside Coach, Fuqua sat at one of the outdoor tables soaking in the atmosphere.

"I don't have any money. I'm just here for the festivities," she said. "I think it's a great way to raise awareness. Everyone is down with jobs lost. So this is fun. It's entertainment."

Back at the Apple store, the free T-shirts ran out an hour and 15 minutes after opening. Shoppers lingered to play with shiny new toys, from iPods to MacBooks and iPhones.

Modesto resident Ron Jen- sen came with his wife, Shellie. While they left the Apple store without any purchases, it definitely made an impression.

"Finally the Apple nerds will have a place to worship together," he said.

Bee entertainment writer Marijke Rowland can be reached at 578-2284 or mrowland@modbee.com.