94 Baker Street in London’s Marylebone was once more famously known as the site of the Apple Boutique, an early business venture of The Beatles.
It has now been converted into five luxury apartments after developer The Malins Group paid £6,000,000 ($10,106,883 AUD) for the listed building on the corner of Baker Street and Paddington Street, W1.
The Apple Boutique’s grand opening was on 5 December 1967 at 7:46 p.m. with (non-alcoholic) apple juice as the only beverage. George Harrison and John Lennon attended, along with their wives, and Eric Clapton, Cilla Black and Jack Bruce. Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr failed to show. It opened to the public two days later.
Three Dutch artists, Marijke Koeger, Simon Posthuma and Josje Leeger, collectively known as The Fool, designed the psychedelic mural, which was painted three storeys high on the facade, by art students. However, they had never received permission, and in May, 1968, the council had it repainted white.
Apple Boutique was a financial disaster, with stealing rife, and after losing money at an alarming rate, it closed down eight months later. The night before, The Beatles, along with their wives and girlfriends, came to the store and took what they wanted. It was announced that the following morning the remaining stock would be given away, one item per customer. Of course, word spread, with many fans queuing up overnight for the chance of a free item, and within hours the shop was stripped bare, with even the carpets and fittings swiped by eager Beatle fans.
To celebrate yesterday’s launch, the mural was projected onto the walls of the exclusive Apple Apartments.
Managing Director of The Malins Group, Lauren Atkins, said,”The building has a unique place in the history of The Beatles and we aim to preserve its fascinating heritage. We have some great plans for the exteriors – exuberant, imaginative, with a few Avant-garde touches – to capture the spirit of the Fab Four.
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