Aug 13 2011
Crowd outside the Watch the Throne pop-up store

“Watch the Throne” Pop-Up Store/Private Party: Starring Beyonce

Friday was the first day physical copies of Watch the Throne were available to the public exclusively in Best Buy and Target. You had to get to them early; stores seemed to have a small supply and they went fast.

If you live in New York there was another option.

Yesterday afternoon, word trickled via Twitter that a pop up store was open in Soho. Jay-Z revealed the location.. “201 Mulberry St.” At the store, you can buy the deluxe version of the CD and also look and touch the Maybach Jay-Z and Kanye West chopped up in the “Otis” video.

The store will open again, today from 11 - 8 pm and Sunday from 11 - 6.

With Friday being the first night, it was rumored that Jay-Z would stop in for a visit. I made a quick trip to the store. There was a line down the block. “Otis” was blaring inside the store; it looked and sounded like a club, complete with a velvet rope that wasn’t moving. I saw maybe five people get in the door.

Jay-Z arrived at eight. That’s his chauffered Maybach.

Jay-Z's Maybach outside the Watch the Throne pop-up store

An hour later, packs of people started to come out of the store. The doorman told people in the front of the line that they would be next to get in.

That changed when it was just as quickly announced that Jay-Z had turned it into a private party. Models and VIP folks were inside.

So I hung out outside, took a few pictures..

Crowd outside the Watch the Throne pop-up store

Crowd outside the Watch the Throne pop-up store

Crowd outside the Watch the Throne pop-up store

I was about to head back to Brooklyn, when a truck drove up and I noticed a familiar face. It was Beyonce’s bodyguard.

Sure enough, she got out.

There was no official paparrazi, but you couldn’t tell from all of the cameras flashing.

Right after that Swizz Beatz poked his head out and went back in. Andre Harrell walked in unnoticed. The models from the “Otis” video came out. Everyone was waiting to see Jay-Z or Kanye (Kanye wasn’t there,) but when word came that Jay-Z was leaving, police cleared the block.

Funny enough, people weren’t upset. That Beyonce sighting seemed to make everyone’s night.


☼ What's Your Opinion? ☼

1 footlesspants Sat, Aug 13, 2011 - 1:06 pm

Jay actually came out about 20 minutes after they cleared the block and said whatup to all of us that were still there! We got to say hi and get photos of him- he even shook my hand! He pretty much stopped traffic in Soho because of security while he was walking down Broome St. But it was cool because he was so chill and was talking to fans while he was walking. We walked with him for three blocks before he went into a different club with friends and security.

2 Chris - Whudat Sun, Aug 14, 2011 - 7:44 pm

Great update. Thanks for that.

Name

Comment