The Apple Boutique was a retail store located in a building on the corner of Baker Street and Paddington Street, Marylebone, London. It opened on December 7, 1967 and closed on July 31, 1968. The shop was one of the first business ventures by the Beatles’ fledgling Apple Corps.
The concept of the shop was that everything in it was for sale. The aim, as described by Paul McCartney, was to create “a beautiful place where beautiful people can buy beautiful things.” In practice, the stock was overwhelmingly fashion garments and accessories. John Lennon vetoed the use of the word “boutique,” but the venture has come to be popularly called the “Apple Boutique.”
The launch party on December 5, 1967 was attended by Lennon, George Harrison and their wives, as well as Eric Clapton, Jack Bruce, Cilla Black and Kenneth Tynan, who were all sipping apple juice as the shop had no alcohol license. Invitations read “Come at 7.46. Fashion Show at 8.16.” suggesting a degree of precision and planning not subsequently realized in the management of the business. Footage of the event shows Simon Posthuma playing Arabic music on a flute, Barry Finch playing a small drum, and Josje Leeger playing finger cymbals to the guests. A free gift of an Apple money clip was given to the first 50 guests.
Lennon’s friend Peter Shotton managed the store with Pattie Boyd’s sister Jenny Boyd. The Apple shop was a financial disaster, because theft was endemic and customers helped themselves to the stock, as did staff members, who had difficulty determining which things people had come in with and which they had picked up in the shop. The ethos of the venture and those operating it was antithetic to making accusations of shoplifting or calling for the London Police. The Fool’s members also made a habit of taking their choice of the merchandise.
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