Apple launched its much-discussed Grand Central Apple Store on Friday, the company’s newest high profile retail location in New York City. The store is located directly inside NYC’s Grand Central Terminal (GCT), a train station used by some 750,000 people per day, according to management.
Grand Central Apple Store
Source: Apple
The new location is a very high profile spot for the company, both in terms of the historic nature of GCT itself and the high visibility it will give to Apple. The company had to pay some US$5 million to buy out the previous tenant, and this week there were reports of various NYC entities being critical of the lease agreement with Apple.
While every other tenant in GCT has a revenue sharing component of their lease, Apple does not. The Metro Transit Authority, the body that manages GCT, defended its deal with Apple as a good one for the city, the MTA, and the GCT’s other tenants, because Apple’s retail store will bring more shoppers and more foot traffic to the Terminal.
Other recent mainstream coverage includes an in-depth piece from CNN focused solely on Apple’s extreme secrecy and the tactics needed to achieve that secrecy in regards to the Grand Central Apple Store—a follow-up article looked at the same topic for a new location Apple is building in Santa Monica.
Be that as it may, the Grand Central Apple Store is open for business.
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I saw a pic of the crowd of hundreds waiting for the opening. There was also an army of red shirted Apple employees waiting for them. That store is going to be golden.
From the CNN link: “...the new Apple Store is even larger, and from the balcony in front, customers can look down on Microsoft’s shop.”
Yep, in more ways than one.
i had hoped tim cook would make an appearance at the opening. he could have set a great precedent and made his a more known face and presence to apple customers. but then again, what would he have worn?
http://littlebiggy.org/4648387
Red plaid polyester trousers and a lime green polo shirt.
Note that refers to the Bellevue, WA store, not the Grand Central store.
Some envy success, some admire.
It will be an interesting story when stats are released regarding foot traffic due to the presence of Apple.
Tim dress is definitely understatement. The man is modest in the extreme. A little colour might be a good idea, though.
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