Apple opened its first Hong Kong flagship store on Saturday.

The two-storey store features a glass spiral staircase and a huge Apple logo. It’s located in the luxury IFC Mall in Central. Measuring 15,000 sqft it is constructed with soaring glass frontage allowing customers to enjoy the view of Star Ferry piers and Victoria Harbour.

The store fills a section of the mall stretching across one of Hong Kong’s busiest streets, with a clear view in and out of the store to and from the street below. In effect, it’s a living billboard with its ceiling to floor glass – while the store was under constructon, a giant red billboard covered the glass promoting the store’s pending opening.

The first storey displays iPads, iPhones and iPods while the second storey features staff offering hands-on training and personal set-up services like e-mail and applications installation. The upper level also highlights the “Genius Bar” where customers can seek repair and technical support from the team.

“This is our largest set-up zone anywhere in Asia,” Bob Bridger, VP for retail real estate and development at Apple said.

The first 3000 visitors were given commemorative T-shirts.

Security at IFC Mall was strengthened in anticipation of the launch of the Apple store, with new stores traditionally drawing huge crowds when the concept debuts in a new market.