Police Shut Down Restoration Hardware Opening Party

Restoration Hardware's fancy grand opening party ended in a bust Wednesday night after police had to shut it down due to overcrowding.

Reports estimate that upward of 2,400 people showed up at the 234 Berkeley St. store, which has a temporary occupancy permit of 2,000.  Inside, guests were squeezed into what the Boston Herald described as a room so crowded that waiters needed guides to clear their paths and people waited in single-file lines to go up and down stairs. 

The party was supposed to last until 8:30 p.m. but was still going strong when police showed up at 8:20 p.m. and asked British singer Edei to stop performing.

Restoration Hardware offered departing guests a discount on their next purchase, the Herald reported.