Apple Stores (probably not) opening early tomorrow

There's a report flying around that Apple is opening a few retail stores early tomorrow, with brand new shipments of iPad 2s ready to go out the door, but before you grab your wallet and set your alarm, not so fast. TUAW did a quick survey of retail stores near our various houses, and none of the stores we called had any plans to open early tomorrow or have any iPad 2s in stock.
You're, of course, welcome to call your own Apple Store and see what they tell you, but it seems unlikely that this is an official retail move. Update: Some readers found that their local stores did offer morning sales to iPad 2 buyers, but we have reports from other readers who were told to show up early to purchase -- and then got bupkis as the store staffers informed them there were no iPads to be had. Ouch.
At this point, the quickest and easiest way to get an iPad 2 is probably to go ahead and order it from the website and sit out the 3-4 week wait. We've got other tips for you if you really want to try and chase one down (my personal recommendation is checking big box retailers, as I've often seen hard-to-find Apple products hiding at Best Buy and WalMart), but unless you just happen to get lucky, it's probably not worth the gas money and frustration you'll get from running around. If you are still on the hunt, good luck out there.
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There's a report flying around that Apple is opening a few retail stores early tomorrow, with brand new shipments of iPad 2s ready to...
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I was told yesterday at my Apple store outside DC that the store would open at 9 am for iPad sales only, and that they would have some. I got to the store at 6:30 a.m. and was 9th in line. The manager came out around 7:20 a.m. to tell us that they had not yet received any, and had no guarantee that they would. We all stayed. They gave us updates throughout the morning...basically that they still didn't know anything. At 9 a.m. they let the first 20 of us go into the store to wait (yay, warmth!). Finally at around 9:20 am, the manager came and told us that he had just received word that they would not be getting ANY iPads today. :( Very,very frustrating morning.
March 15 2011 at 1:19 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyI can say that I am honestly done chasing.
The only reason why you (spoc62618) are standing in line with 30 people in the rain at 6AM is so most of those jerks (excuse me, "entrepreneurs") can resell them on Craigs, Fleabay, etc.
No point in fighting the "unemployed entrepreneurs" anymore. I just don't have any more time to waste. Thankfully this morning only cost me 20 desk to store to desk.
Roseville Galleria did not get them for today (03/15). They said tomorrow 9AM.
March 15 2011 at 11:47 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyI called three chicago area stores, and none of them have any iPad's. They also said they are always open at 8 am for training, the store just doesn't open until 10 am.
"Call back tomorrow" two stores said though...
I was at the ridgedale mall store in Minnesota, and I was told explicitly yesterday by a manager that they would be open an hour early, and have ipads to sell.
I was there this morning nearly an hour ago, an employee stuck his head out to tell me that neither of those things were true.
An Apple associate at the Apple Store in Walnut Creek, CA said the were going to have them and open at 9. I'm standing in line with about 30 people right now waiting foe them to open. It's only 6 a.m.
March 15 2011 at 9:06 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyBethesda Ave. said they were opening early but at 8:15 am a blueshirt told the three of us who showed up that they had no shipment last night and no iPads for us. Thanks Apple!
March 15 2011 at 8:51 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyThe title of this post is wrong. My Apple store is opening early.
March 15 2011 at 6:39 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyThe temporary Apple store @ 522 Congress in Austin TX (for SXSW week) has MANY ipads. I work for FedEx and we delivered (again) over 200 boxes to the store. Each box contains 5 ipads.......
I think this is where ALL of the product is going as we delivered 150 this past sat....
The Apple Store in [redacted] is opening early, but the girl said she wasn't sure if they'd have any iPads. That's funny to me because there's no other reason to open early than to sell iPads. I'm going to be there anyway just to make sure. Hopefully they'll have the model I want.
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