![]() ![]() Since this store was only about 10 blocks from where I live, and two from where I work, this is about the only store that is going to open any time soon that I would be able to go to the opening of conveniently. They give away t-shirts and other Apple swag to the first few hundred people, and they are almost social events. An odd time for a grand opening, but I don’t work in retail, so what do I know? I had heard that Apple Store openings were fun events and that people would line up for hours or even days to be the first ones in. On May 11 I got an e-mail from Apple saying that the “Apple Store, Fifth Avenue” would have it’s grand opening on Friday, May 19 at 6 p.m. ![]() Macklowe’s people must’ve thought something along the lines of, “We can charge them more rent for that! Steve, we would love the cube!” And thus, the store, and The Cube, came to be. Apple’s people had a hard time with that, but came back and said that underground would be okay if they could build a giant glass cube 32 feet high on top of the plaza, emblazoned with Apple’s logo. When Apple’s people asked where the space was, Macklowe’s people responded that the space was underground. The story goes that his people called Apple’s people and told them of the plan, and that they wanted Apple to be a part of it. It was his plan to build out the Madison Avenue entrance for shops, as well as create an underground “arcade” of shops, similar to Rockefeller Center (albeit on a much smaller scale). In 2003, the “TRUMP”s came down as developer Harry Macklowe bought the building. A large “TRUMP” in gold letters adorned the front of the building and smaller “TRUMP”s were to be seen at almost every corner. After being acquired by Donald Trump in 1998, the large auto showroom on the building’s north side was closed and became the studio for the CBS Early Show. The GM building at 59 th and Fifth has undergone a lot of changes recently. “Artists and creative people” generally do not shop at Bergdorf Goodman, although Bergdorf Goodman, I’m sure, will not turn away their money. Not exactly the type of stores that attract the young and hip, which is the image that most people have when it comes to Apple’s core customers. Tiffany’s, Bergdorf Goodman, Coach, Van Clef and Arpels, Burberry, and Bulgari (Bvlgari) are just a few of the stores in the area. In short, SoHo is a shoppers paradise for the young and hip.ĥ9 th and Fifth is almost in stark contrast to that. SoHo is a very trendy part of town and is home to many, many trendy stores like Kate Spade, Steve Madden, D&G, Marc Jacobs, and Prada, as well as countless designers that I wouldn’t know about. This location is interesting to me because it is not necessarily the type of location that I would associate with the image that Apple has. The Cubeįor a long time now, everyone in the Mac community in NYC has known about Apple’s plan to open a “flagship” store at the GM building on 59 th Street and Fifth Avenue, right across the street from the old Plaza Hotel and a block away from the entrance to Central Park. You can be out the door in less than five minutes without waiting on a line. ![]() Employees have little hand held scanners that will scan the item you want, and scan your credit card to complete the transaction. external hard drives, mouses, iPods & accessories, books, etc.). Another cool thing about the store is that they have instant check-out for products that are available on the floor (i.e. They are friendly if you let them, and quiet if you want them to be. They will ask you if you need help, but if you say, “No thanks, just looking,” they will leave you completely alone. One thing that I really like about the Apple store is the employees and the attitude they have. It really is different than most retail stores, but in line with the style that most large SoHo stores in the area have. It’s a very nice store, with wide open areas, a large array of products, and you can tell that it was designed with nice balance of both form and functionality. I have been to the Apple store in the SoHo section of NYC several times for shopping, browsing, presentations, and once for support. I wouldn’t call myself a Mac geek, fanatic, or cult member, since I have only owned a Mac for less than a year, but in the interest of full disclosure, I will say that I have been a fan of Apple for many years, have wanted to own a Mac for most of that time, and am typing this on a Mac right now. ![]()
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