Shoppers hold the line

COSTA MESA — Kathy Feeny camped out by the Apple Store at South Coast Plaza on Friday morning with a few essential items: a folding chair, a book, a board game and nearly $10,000.

The Irvine resident was among the first few dozen customers in line for Apple’s iPhone, which was set to go on sale at 6 p.m. Like the other sleepless patrons around her, Feeny wasn’t going to wait until the afternoon to stake out her post. She and a friend arrived outside the mall shortly before 4 a.m., then settled inside when the guards opened the doors at 5 a.m.

Feeny planned to purchase 11 iPhones — which retail for between $499 and $599 each — for herself, her children and other relatives, although the stores ended up limiting each customer to two phones. Regardless, Feeny said spending all day in line came naturally for her; she had done it before for Wi-Fi equipment and Beanie Babies.

“I’m going to pay my bills,” Feeny said, referring to how she would spend time in line. “I’m going to read a book on the art of starting a business, because I’m starting a business. We’re going to play games. And we’re going to make new friends.”

There was plenty of time to make friends on Friday, as people waited in line for more than 12 hours at South Coast Plaza, Fashion Island and the two AT&T; stores in Newport-Mesa. Finally, the doors opened and a lucky few got to be among those purchasing iPhones on the first day.

“It’s going to be a revolutionary product,” said Greg Feinerman, a Newport Beach eye surgeon who bought a phone at Fashion Island. “It has the ability to check your e-mail and check the Internet. It’s just a totally integrated system.”

Before dawn on Friday, customers began lining up outside the Apple Stores at South Coast Plaza and Fashion Island. The phones were only available at Apple and AT&T; stores. Some brought laptops and coolers full of food to keep themselves occupied; others dragged in blankets and dozed for a few hours on the ground.

Matt Ellison, a grocery store clerk from Fountain Valley, was among those who stayed up all night to get a spot. He said he arrived at South Coast Plaza at midnight and got shooed away by security, then retreated to a friend’s house and watched movies until 5 a.m.

“I haven’t slept at all since last night,” Ellison said. “Well, previous night, now.”

Many customers wanted the iPhone for personal use, since it offers phone service, Internet and other features in one package. Others, though, saw it as a business opportunity.

Jon Redyk, the chief executive officer of the software company Avacast, snared the first position in line at Fashion Island along with two employees and said he hoped to use the iPhones for office work.

Kevin Shelley, the company’s sales director, had another ploy in mind: He planned to market one of his phones on eBay.

“I’m hoping [to make] $1,000,” he said. “There are some people out there who just have to have it.”