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A look inside New York's temporary Apple Store
Apple's Soho retail store in New York, at 103 Prince Street, has been shut down for some major refurbishment. However, a temporary store just a few minutes walk away has been opened to make sure local customers aren't put out. I say "temporary," but according to some photos published by Racked, you'd be hard pressed to tell the difference between this temporary store and any other regular Apple store. With staff dressed in blue Apple t-shirts, a Genius Bar and all manner of Apple products displayed on blond wooden tables, it looks like this temporary store will be here for a little while at least. Perhaps the only tell tale sign that this store isn't permanent is the wooden stair case instead of the customary glass ones found in regular Apple stores. Check out photos taken inside the temporary store and further details at Racked. [Via MacRumors]
Apple to close, revamp SoHo Apple store
We knew back in March that Apple had plans to expand and renovate its SoHo store in NYC. Now, we have some more details on the planned changes. According to ifoAppleStore.com, the SoHo store will close in the next three months and will remain closed for an unknown amount of time. It's an exciting time for Apple fans in NYC as the iconic glass cube outside its Fifth Avenue store is getting a facelift at the same time. Apple will expand its SoHo store and take over the rear ground floor of the building. This part of the building has been vacant since the U.S. Postal Service left in 2009. The first floor and the new rear section will be renovated, while the upper level and glass staircase will remain untouched. The location is a Heritage structure, but, thankfully, Apple's changes meet the criteria set by the city's Landmarks Preservation Commission.
Building permits suggest SoHo Apple Store ready for expansion
Apple's New York SoHo store has a long and storied history. It was the first Apple Store to open in New York City and is housed in an old, distinctively-styled Post Office building. It has been visited by Steve Jobs himself and has been the host of several high-profile guest appearances by the Coen Brothers and the Jonas Brothers. These appearances attracted so much attention that the store was cited as a bad neighbor by its community. Though its reputation is large, the square footage of the SoHo store reaches a mere 16,000 square-feet, making it the smallest Apple store in the Big Apple. A recent building permit issued for work on the SoHo store and a rental agreement for an adjacent property suggests the store may be expanding its retail footprint. The store currently occupies the upper level and a portion of the lower level and basement of 103 Prince Street. A remaining portion of the building is addressed as 124 Greene Street and was home to a Post Office branch until 2009. Now that this spot has been vacated, Apple has reportedly signed a lease for this parcel and is looking to integrate the 5,000-square foot space into its existing SoHo store. This expansion would put the SoHo store on equal footing with the other NYC stores, which average 20,000+ square-feet.
Apple Store SoHo cited as a bad neighbor
Is Apple's oldest NYC retail store causing agita for its well-heeled neighbors in SoHo? AFP and Dow Jones are reporting that the SoHo Alliance, an umbrella community organization, has complained to city officials and Apple execs about a litany of issues with the popular outlet. Crowds outside the store (sometimes overnight) have blocked streets and left trash behind, to the frustration of nearby residents. The recent Jonas Brothers in-store concert may have been the final indignity for alliance director Sean Sweeney. "This concert attracted thousands of young teenage girls who screamed incessantly on the street for hours for their idols, blocking traffic, injuring one resident in the crush, and inconveniencing scores of other people and businesses." I suppose there's a price to pay for being busy and popular. Considering that the immediate vicinity of the store is home to scores of restaurants, bars and high-end boutiques, it's surprising that Apple is the biggest quality-of-life offender in the area, but maybe it's time for some of the bigger draws to move to the 14th Street store instead. [via Cult of Mac]
Apple SoHo NYC Store open 24/7 until Christmas
Just as the image above states, The Apple Store SoHo is joining the 5th Ave Apple Store in staying open 24 hours a day until Christmas Day, December 25, 2006. The Fifth Ave store is always open 24/7/365, of course, but the SoHo store generally closes at 7pm, 8pm or 9pm (depending on the day). This is a nice holiday treat for those of us who prefer never to step foot above 23rd St this time of year, in an effort to avoid the crowds.Specifically, The SoHo shop will open at 9:30am this Wed, Dec 13th and remain open until 11:59pm on Sun, Dec 24th. The store will then be closed Dec 25th and will re-open at 9am on Dec 26th.Now go buy something shiny and expensive with an Apple logo on it. That is, after all, the true spirit of Christmas!
