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At this point the projected opening date for the Apple Boutique had come and gone, and it was still weeks away from being ready to open. So in order to make it look like something was happening, over this weekend design team The Fool set about painting a mural on the building. They worked in secrecy, covering the premises with oilcloth so no one could see what they were doing. “Even the Beatles were warded off like overeager children,” according to biographer Bob Spitz.
When the work was finally unveiled, it looked like this:
Says Spitz,
London had never seen anything like it. People came from every district to get a closer look, clogging the sidewalk outside the shop, tying up traffic. It became as popular a tourist attraction as any of the traditional sights.
Unfortunately, no one had bothered to secure the necessary permits. After a three-week struggle with the local planning commission, the mural was painted over. But by that time the Boutique would be almost ready to open, so perhaps it had served its purpose.