Art Lebedev opening Optimus Store in New York next month

We highly doubt Art Lebedev chose the opening day of the 2008 Beijing Olympics on purpose here, but nevertheless, the design studio made famous by its Optimus Maximus keyboard will be opening up shop in the Big Apple on August 8th, 2008. At first, the store will actually be held within RCS Computer Experience at 575 Madison Ave. and E. 56th Street (on the second floor, just opposite the escalator), but if sales start pouring in, we reckon it could land its own place in due time. It is noted that this location will devote almost all of its shelf space to Optimus Maximus keyboards, but a few other electronics gizmos should be available as well. So, who's camping out for the opening?

[Ryan Trevisol @ Jul 16th 2008 6:01PM]

Sounds like a Hoffritz for keyboards. $1500 keyboards. I have my doubts.

[nanobis @ Jul 16th 2008 6:09PM]

if there is an opening sale then yea why not.

[Tinu @ Jul 16th 2008 6:12PM]

Now that they have the $1500 keyboard, the next obvious step would be to build an OLED Desk to put the keyboard on.

[nDee @ Jul 17th 2008 2:39AM]

or at least
Optimus Mice

[Engadam @ Jul 16th 2008 6:13PM]

me

[Andrew Pearson @ Jul 16th 2008 6:25PM]

thing is though, it's not really all that good. I mean apart from you guys hyping it up beyond belief who else really cares? you guys just HAVE to be on comission!

[9bit @ Jul 16th 2008 6:18PM]

A store more overpriced than the Apple Store! Who wants to camp out with me?

[Jason Stewart @ Jul 16th 2008 6:43PM]

I was about to say the same thing! RCS in NYC is EXPENSIVE!

But that said, they do have an interesting inventory - stuff that other area computer/electronics stores don't carry. I was able to find a very nice Jack Georges bag for, like, $100 cheaper than what the price should have been.

Of course, they also wanted $1000 for an unlocked HTC Touch Diamond!

[fashionista @ Jul 16th 2008 7:10PM]

Yeah, but it is one of the few stores where you can handle the entire Lenovo lineup plus accessories, all the Sony laptops, and any other gear that the big box guys don't carry. Sometimes having something in hand, the instant you pay for it, is worth the money.

[wasabi @ Jul 16th 2008 6:20PM]

so it's gonna take a few years for their plans to come to fruition? i mean look at the keyboard... was it 5 years?

[yode @ Jul 16th 2008 6:22PM]

OPTIMUS PRIME

[krissybee14 @ Jul 16th 2008 6:39PM]

Let's just see the prices first... People nowadays are becoming practical because of the rough times...




car insurance

[kyau1 @ Jul 16th 2008 6:28PM]

OLED = Overly Lavish Extravagant Desk

[The Dude @ Jul 16th 2008 6:27PM]

I'll believe it when I see it. In the mean time, this is what I imagine store will actually look like it:

http://img152.imageshack.us/img152/2655/mallcartzd3.jpg

[Dan @ Jul 16th 2008 6:48PM]

I don't quite get why they'd focus solely on the Optimus Keyboard....
No doubt it looks like an incredibly awesome keyboard, but the price is still pretty steep....
If you've ever gone through their gallery though, Art Lebedev has quite a few other really neat products.

[AlphaTeam @ Jul 16th 2008 6:48PM]

RCS Computer Experience?

Lordy lord, now the $1500 keyboard will cost $3000

[Luke @ Jul 16th 2008 6:50PM]

Whatever venture capitalist that are funding this guy just don't deserve the money they have. It's quite obvious its going nowhere, I mean seriously, keyboards dont need displays thats what a monitor is for.

[required @ Jul 16th 2008 7:32PM]

Hate to defend them but I'm pretty sure they make a lot more than conceptual keyboards.

[Rocketboy @ Jul 16th 2008 7:11PM]

A whole store of overpriced things that nobody really wants!

Sharper Image Part II

[Martin Cashman @ Jul 16th 2008 8:33PM]

What exactly are they going to stock the store with?

I ordered a Verbarius clock from the online store back in January, they managed to withdraw payment on the same day but I've received nothing but email notices of delayed shipping since then.... due sometime in September now... didn't say what year though so I guess they're covered.

[sr1329 @ Jul 16th 2008 8:31PM]

No way this store will ever make it out of there. "If sales start pouring in" Ha Ha HA!

[Paul Dullford @ Jul 16th 2008 8:36PM]

And before we know it, the Optimus Store will be renamed "the Sharper Keyboard"...

[Marcus @ Jul 16th 2008 9:38PM]

They wont have them in stock half the time...........when they do they will tell you that they will ship it to you hold your money............and for that guy that wanted to buy the touch diamond check out mobilecityonline.com

[Dmitriy @ Jul 16th 2008 9:57PM]

He actually does the same thing in every city he's interested. He sets up a mall kiosk first and if sales are high enough, he opens an actual store.

On the side note, have you heard that he got shot last weekend?(In the leg)

[solu @ Jul 16th 2008 9:49PM]

hopefully they do ok, i like their designs. would never buy that stuff though, just fun to look at.

[Ed @ Jul 17th 2008 1:19AM]

Better have some other good products is all I can say.

The OLED Keyboard sucks. All I have heard is that it looks very, VERY, pretty but is hard to type on. Not a very good experience and using it for everyday typing would be a pain.

Considering the horrible reviews that I have heard about their "flagship" product I have a hard time seeing how they will make a kiosk or a store profitable as relying on sales of a $1500 dollar keyboard is a bit risky.

Too bad really. I had such high hopes for it.

[lens42 @ Jul 17th 2008 2:51AM]

Why do these guys even get written up here? Someone's brother-in-law must have an in. I never see any mention of Art Neverdev any where else but Engadget. How long can this bad joke go on?

[SikBug @ Jul 17th 2008 9:34AM]

I'm deff going to go in there, I'm just glad they didn't put it around penn station or times sq.

[geognerd @ Jul 17th 2008 12:12PM]

I never heard of Art Lebedev until I started reading Engadget. I have a feeling it was the same way for most people here.

[geog_nerd @ Jul 17th 2008 12:16PM]

I never heard of Art Lebedev until I started reading Engadget. I have a feeling it was the same way for most people.

[geognerd @ Jul 17th 2008 12:19PM]

Fuck. My first comment didn't show up, so I thought I borked up my login and wrote another comment. Now I look like a dumbass.

[niklad @ Jul 30th 2008 10:00AM]

Artemy's Lebedev studio is the most well-know design studio in Russia, they started as web-design studio and now expanded into everything. Believe me, this keyboard is not their primary product. But it definitely made them very popular around the world.