The four-story Apple Store at 815 Boylston St. in Boston was lacking its usual hectic buzz and excitement on Thursday as customers and employees mourned the death of Apple founder and CEO Steve Jobs.
Apple announced that Jobs died on Wednesday evening at the age of 56. “The world” had lost a “visionary and creative genius,” the site read.
Jobs, who was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2004 and underwent a liver transplant in 2009, resigned as CEO of Apple in August citing health issues.
Outside the main door of Boston’s Apple store, a small but steadily growing memorial arose in honor of Jobs. Apple enthusiasts left mementos and gifts such as flowers, pictures, drawings and apples.
Each gift was filled with heartfelt messages and inspiring quotes. Taped onto the glass façade of the building were the words, “Stay hungry and stay foolish,” which Jobs said during a commencement speech to Stanford University’s Class of 2005.
The message resonated with many people, including Boston University student Michelle Toyloy.
“For me, it means to never be satisfied with what you have and to dream big even if your goal may seem unreachable at the time,” Toyloy, a College of General Studies freshman, said.
Arantxa Orellena, a visitor from Spain, described Jobs as a “brilliant person” who had a strong understanding of “human feelings.”
“He opened the way for a lot of people,” she said. “I’ve talked to my family in Spain and they are very sad by his loss.”
Zam-zam Dayib, a senior at Northeastern University, said she was also deeply saddened by the loss of Jobs. She said she overheard the news from a friend and then later listened to coverage by Anderson Cooper of CNN.
Mumtaz Khan, a junior at Northeastern, said she did not believe her sister when she told her that the “Willy Wonka of Technology,” had died.
“I realized that it would be a big day in history because everyone owns an Apple product,” she said, as she placed a picture of a college classroom filled with MacBooks at the memorial.
Dayib and Khan both said that despite the former CEO’s death, Apple would not lose its status as the premier electronic producer.
Apple employees were not available to comment.
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