Apple Decides Against 34th Street Apple Store in NYC

[MacRumors]

http://www.macrumors.com/images/macrumorsthreadlogo.gif (http://www.macrumors.com/2008/11/04/apple-decides-against-34th-street-apple-store-in-nyc/)

NYPost reports (http://www.nypost.com/seven/11042008/business/apple_drops_out_of_34th_st__site_136862.htm?&page=1) that despite Apple having leased a spot diagonally across from the Empire State Building on 34th street in New York City, they have decided against building an Apple Store at that location. Small buildings on the site were demolished. Merchants on West 34th Street - where stores like Banana Republic and Victoria's Secret have been replacing schlocky discounters - looked forward to another spectacular Apple emporium like the one on Fifth Avenue.According to the Post, Steve Jobs determined "this is not for Apple" after seeing the location and run-down building across the street.

Apple reportedly pays $5,906,692 in annualized rent and is putting the site up for sublease.

Article Link: Apple Decides Against 34th Street Apple Store in NYC (http://www.macrumors.com/2008/11/04/apple-decides-against-34th-street-apple-store-in-nyc/)

[11800506]

I can see why they did this especially since they already have a bunch of stores in NYC. Another flagship store there seemed a little much IMO.

[Rojo]

I honestly think NYC can take as many Apple Stores as Apple is willing to build. People will still flock to them. Right now, the three stores they DO have are always overcrowded.

But yeah... 34th Street is a terrible location. Too tacky and touristy. The upcoming Upper West Side location is perfect. I think the East Village would be a great location -- young, hip & trendy. But that might be too many locations downtown for them. Flatiron or Grand Central areas might make sense too.

[SkippyThorson]

Stick a mini-Apple Store in the New Hartford NY Best Buy. I don't want to keep going to Albany or Syracuse for my iFix.

Good move, Apple. The location is certainly not you, and 4 NYC stores just seems a bit overkill if you ask me.

[Drumjim85]

is that 6million for just that one location???

[agentmouthwash]

go to an Apple store in NYC and you will understand why they want more built there. The 24 hour CUBE one near the park is crowded at 3am!!! During the day you can't even walk inside.

[TheHoff]

is that 6million for just that one location???

Yea, $500,000 per month. That is about typical for a 3 bedroom pre-war :D

[wordmunger]

I would think maybe Brooklyn would be a good place for a new store. Isn't that where all the hipsters hang out now?

[crisss1205]

I honestly think NYC can take as many Apple Stores as Apple is willing to build. People will still flock to them. Right now, the three stores they DO have are always overcrowded.

But yeah... 34th Street is a terrible location. Too tacky and touristy. The upcoming Upper West Side location is perfect. I think the East Village would be a great location -- young, hip & trendy. But that might be too many locations downtown for them. Flatiron or Grand Central areas might make sense too.
A good place in the City would be maybe in Queens so you don't have to go to Roosevelt Field or Staten Island or Manhattan, like Queens Center Mall. But by South Street Seaport would be nice.

go to an Apple store in NYC and you will understand why they want more built there. The 24 hour CUBE one near the park is crowded at 3am!!! During the day you can't even walk inside.
Thats why if I go to the store in the city I take the L train to the West 14th Store, that one is not as crowded at 5th Ave.

is that 6million for just that one location???
Yes ONE location, do you know what the real estate in New York is like? You should look it up. An apartment could cost you $2.4 million, and thats for a 2 bed 2 bath.

[DipDog3]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 2_1 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/525.18.1 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/3.1.1 Mobile/5F136 Safari/525.20)

I'm sure Apple knew what was at this location before they started renting it. I think the economic downturn changed their minds not the location.

[beatzfreak]

We desperately need an Apple store here in Brooklyn.
Maybe downtown, near Trader Joes.

[Foxglove9]

There's already a Mac specialty store in Park Slope, I have never been there but I read about it in the newspaper. I can see Apple putting one in Downtown Brooklyn, that would be pretty accessible to most. In this economy I don't think you will see it happen though.

[crisss1205]

We desperately need an Apple store here in Brooklyn.
Maybe downtown, near Trader Joes.
Next to the IKEA would be a good location.

[twoodcc]

i'm sure this was in apple's best interest. looking forward to seeing more apple stores in other locations

[pilotError]

There was a rumor that they were putting one up on Wall St.

I can see why they didn't do 34st. Although it would have been a good spot for the commuter traffic.

I'm surprised they didn't find anything in the Times Square area.

[kamm]

I honestly think NYC can take as many Apple Stores as Apple is willing to build. People will still flock to them. Right now, the three stores they DO have are always overcrowded.


What a load of Apple RDF nonsense. :cool:
Every time I go to the SoHo - recently it took 4 ****in' visits to get a MB hDD replaced :mad: - it wasn't even half full, let alone overcrowded (thanks God, I must add.)


But yeah... 34th Street is a terrible location. Too tacky and touristy.


Ummm, yeah sure, that's not good for a... hmmm, retail store...? :rolleyes:


The upcoming Upper West Side location is perfect.


For UWS folks, yes...


I think the East Village would be a great location


For selling more Macbooks and iPod for dormies, yes...


-- young, hip & trendy.


Jeez, you sound like a really cheesy, cheap real estate agent - a lot of meaningless empty cliches... "young" - I guess but way too much 40s guy who likes to fish around there, "hip" and "trendy" - ehhehehe, for who? For clueless NYU kids coming from countryside, perhaps. :p


But that might be too many locations downtown for them. Flatiron or Grand Central areas might make sense too.

Silicon Alley: sounds cool but too close to the SoHo and W14th stores IMO.
GC? Perhaps... dunno, I always thought there are a lot transit mass, not locales (e.g. switching from subway to train etc.)

[kamm]

Next to the IKEA would be a good location.

Haha, now you're funny - Apple in Red Hook? :eek:

"Coming for your methadone fix? Just "tripping" around here? Get yourself a new iPod before you take it!"

:rolleyes: :D

[kamm]

There's already a Mac specialty store in Park Slope, I have never been there but I read about it in the newspaper. I can see Apple putting one in Downtown Brooklyn, that would be pretty accessible to most. In this economy I don't think you will see it happen though.

Destroying the local Apple-loyal businesses never been a problem for Jobs and as a long-time PS resident and an IT person I can tell you that probably out of all the neighborhoods in the five boroughs Park Slope sports the highest number of Macs/Mac users per capita, I'm almost 100% sure (Williamsburg could come close in the future but they still have a lot of crappy streets to 'pretty up'...;))
It would be a pretty sure business to open one but if you think about it Apple typically prefers areas where chances for walk-in sales are the highest IMO.

[crisss1205]

Haha, now you're funny - Apple in Red Hook? :eek:

"Coming for your methadone fix? Just "tripping" around here? Get yourself a new iPod before you take it!"

:rolleyes: :D

Somewhere between the these 2 stores..
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&saddr=Apple+Store+Fifth+Avenue&daddr=Apple+Store+Roosevelt+Field&hl=en&geocode=FRwCbgIdhEGX-yGjDVpPwehpqg%3BFeWwbQIdybyc-yHQnIiuK1OINQ&mra=ls&dirflg=r&date=11%2F04%2F08&time=4:00pm&ttype=dep&noexp=0&noal=0&sort=&sll=40.743615,-73.793793&sspn=0.297049,0.582962&ie=UTF8&ll=40.732169,-73.793793&spn=0.2971,0.582962&t=k&z=11&start=0

[flottenheimer]

Apple should forget all about yet another Apple Store in N.Y.
N.Y. is spoiled.
What Apple need to do is to open an Apple Store in Denmark. Just one, please.

In the July/August issue of Monocle (Tyler Brûlés monthly style bible), Copenhagen was ranked no. 1 among "The World's 25 Top Cities for Quality of life". In addition the magazine proclaims the capital of Denmark as "Best Design City".

Yet we don't have a single official Apple Store in Denmark.
Come on Apple. Your retail magic would be a perfect fit over here.

[crisss1205]

Apple should forget all about yet another Apple Store in N.Y.
N.Y. is spoiled.
What Apple need to do is to open an Apple Store in Denmark. Just one, please.

In the July/August issue of Monocle (Tyler Brûlés monthly style bible), Copenhagen was ranked no. 1 among "The World's 25 Top Cities for Quality of life". In addition the magazine proclaims the capital of Denmark as "Best Design City".

Yet we don't have a single official Apple Store in Denmark.
Come on Apple. Your retail magic would be a perfect fit over here.

They do need another store somewhere in the 5 boroughs but not Manhattan because allot of the people who visit the Apple Store's in Manhattan are from Queens and Brooklyn. Since the 5th Ave store is always crowded and they need to spread the crowd around the boroughs. And I wouldn't say that we are spoiled, come here and you will see, how do you know if your all the way in Denmark?

[crisss1205]

This did look like a cool design.

Credit to..
http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/08/11/04/apple_pulls_plug_on_plans_for_store_near_empire_state_building.html

[kamm]

Somewhere between the these 2 stores..
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&saddr=Apple+Store+Fifth+Avenue&daddr=Apple+Store+Roosevelt+Field&hl=en&geocode=FRwCbgIdhEGX-yGjDVpPwehpqg%3BFeWwbQIdybyc-yHQnIiuK1OINQ&mra=ls&dirflg=r&date=11%2F04%2F08&time=4:00pm&ttype=dep&noexp=0&noal=0&sort=&sll=40.743615,-73.793793&sspn=0.297049,0.582962&ie=UTF8&ll=40.732169,-73.793793&spn=0.2971,0.582962&t=k&z=11&start=0

You mean somewhere in the middle? Along the BedSty-East NY-Jamaica line? Suuuure! :cool:
That is, my friend, a hard-core ghetto line, IMO the worst part of NYC.

[kamm]

This did look like a cool design.

Credit to..
http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/08/11/04/apple_pulls_plug_on_plans_for_store_near_empire_state_building.html

Nothing special IMO. In fact I like their old SoHo store's exterior the best: it's not too flashy, not too tacky nor cheap (a la Fifth Ave or W14th) yet still somewhat elegant (especially compared to the surrounding ones, khm.)

[crisss1205]

You mean somewhere in the middle? Along the BedSty-East NY-Jamaica line? Suuuure! :cool:
That is, my friend, a hard-core ghetto line, IMO the worst part of NYC.
I'm not talking about along that line but anywhere between those 2 locations, by the map I'm just showing you how far the 2 locations are by public transit. We need an Apple Store in Queens and/or Brooklyn somewhere between the 2 stores so we don't have to go to 5th Ave, West 14th or Roosevelt Field. I always go to the Roosevelt Field location because I'm always by Queens Center Mall.

[kamm]

I'm not talking about along that line but anywhere between those 2 locations, by the map I'm just showing you how far the 2 locations are by public transit. We need an Apple Store in Queens and/or Brooklyn somewhere between the 2 stores so we don't have to go to 5th Ave, West 14th or Roosevelt Field. I always go to the Roosevelt Field location because I'm always by Queens Center Mall.

Ah, I see.
Queens? I only lived in Ridgewood for s short period so I can't speak of Queens but Brooklyn sure could take one (or even two).

[rdowns]

I'm actually surprised Apple has not opened in Queens Center. It is the highest dollar sales per square foot mall in the country.

[crisss1205]

I'm actually surprised Apple has not opened in Queens Center. It is the highest dollar sales per square foot mall in the country.
And Macy's is open for like 80 hours straight during the week of Christmas too. Apple should definitely open in Queens Center.

[Kwill]

Let me get this straight. Apple signs a lease worth $6m on property sight-unseen. After Steve takes a peek he decides he doesn't like the neighborhood. Whoever signed in behalf of Apple made a serious blunder. How many other people can make such large mistakes and still be employed? Apparently there was talk of this over a year ago for the same property and the site has been expanded (http://www.nypost.com/seven/11042008/business/apple_drops_out_of_34th_st__site_136862.htm?&page=1) without finding an alternate lessor.

Originally posted Jan 25, 2007 by Forbes (http://www.forbes.com/2007/01/25/apple-home-depot-pf-guru-in_ps_0125realestateintelligence_inl.html) >
Sources say image-conscious Apple, which leased the space from a joint venture between SL Green Realty Trust and developer Jeff Sutton, has had second thoughts about the location's coolness and had plans to put the site up for sublease. Apple had planned a 30,000-square-foot, four-story store with about 75 feet of frontage along 34th St., and had signed up to pay rent of about $5.5 million a year. Sutton and SL Green (nyse: SLG - news - people ) control the space on either side of the parcel as well. "None of this makes any sense to us," said Dan Pisark, vice president of retail services for the 34th Street Partnership

[crisss1205]

Ah, I see.
Queens? I only lived in Ridgewood for s short period so I can't speak of Queens but Brooklyn sure could take one (or even two).
I was just thinking last week that Apple Should make a store in the empty building on Myrtle Avenue where the Fair Department store was by Onderdonk and Myrtle.

[puckhead193]

Wirelessly posted (my blackberry pearl: BlackBerry8130/4.3.0 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/105 UP.Browser/5.0.3.3)

Wow apple is picky they didn't like the building across the street, why not but and lease that one. What a waste of 50 million.

[RJones]

How about a location on Ottawa, the capital of Canada. How many New York Apple Stores are there, 2 or 3, yet we can't even get 1.

[TheSlush]

Steve Jobs isn't a branding genius based only on what he chooses to do. Sometimes he's a branding genius based on what he chooses not to do.

[kauthor]

Man! I used to work at CitiGroup right nearby, and an Apple Store there would have been a big impact to CitiGroup, if it was built 2-3 years ago.

[Marzzz]

They really need one in Scottsdale, AZ; talk about missing out on your high-volume retail.....

[wonderbutt]

A good place in the City would be maybe in Queens so you don't have to go to Roosevelt Field or Staten Island or Manhattan, like Queens Center Mall. But by South Street Seaport would be nice.


Thats why if I go to the store in the city I take the L train to the West 14th Store, that one is not as crowded at 5th Ave.

I just go to Tekserve on west 23rd :D
The area around the 34th street location is tacky indeed. A "lower grade" of tourist (moneywise) goes to the Empire State Building and whatnot. The real cash is in Soho, Meatpacking District and of course 5th avenue and Central Park.

[SuperMacMan]

Hey Apple, I just compared the http://www.apple.com/retail/storelist/ to my hometown's (Australia) store list at http://www.apple.com/au/retail/storelist/


The US one has, like, I dunno, ten TRILLION, yet you lot are complaining of that, where we here, in "The Lucky Country" have all of THREE!!!

AND they're spaced out like mad! Two in Sydney, one in Southern Melbourne, yeah, great. NOT!

SuperMacMan

[flottenheimer]

They do need another store somewhere in the 5 boroughs but not Manhattan because allot of the people who visit the Apple Store's in Manhattan are from Queens and Brooklyn. Since the 5th Ave store is always crowded and they need to spread the crowd around the boroughs. And I wouldn't say that we are spoiled, come here and you will see, how do you know if your all the way in Denmark?

Oh, you are spoiled. You have several fatastic Apple Stores in Manhattan. We have none, zip, zero, in Denmark.

And how do I know you ask, well my last trip to N.Y. was in May - I visited both the Soho and the 5th Ave store. And I felt Apple-spoiled. :-) Not at least because of the prices you pay for Apple products - they are way lower than in Denmark.

Several great Apple Stores + Lower prices = Spoiled

[flottenheimer]

Hey Apple, I just compared the http://www.apple.com/retail/storelist/ to my hometown's (Australia) store list at http://www.apple.com/au/retail/storelist/


The US one has, like, I dunno, ten TRILLION, yet you lot are complaining of that, where we here, in "The Lucky Country" have all of THREE!!!

AND they're spaced out like mad! Two in Sydney, one in Southern Melbourne, yeah, great. NOT!

SuperMacMan
You're spoiled as well.
Give us just one Apple Store in Denmark. Please.

[shortlex]

Hey Apple, I just compared the http://www.apple.com/retail/storelist/ to my hometown's (Australia) store list at http://www.apple.com/au/retail/storelist/


The US one has, like, I dunno, ten TRILLION, yet you lot are complaining of that, where we here, in "The Lucky Country" have all of THREE!!!

AND they're spaced out like mad! Two in Sydney, one in Southern Melbourne, yeah, great. NOT!

SuperMacMan

We need more downunder!

[crisss1205]

You're spoiled as well.
Give us just one Apple Store in Denmark. Please.
Let's put it this way, flottenheimer thinks that if you have an Apple Store in your country then you are Spoiled.
Yes I know we have lower prices because Apple also has to license these products and get approval from the local government which cost them more money.
I know its a BIG difference in price and I don't think it should be so steep either. (i.e. iPod Shuffle US $49USD = Denmark $60 USD)

[pilotError]

Apple should forget all about yet another Apple Store in N.Y.
N.Y. is spoiled.
What Apple need to do is to open an Apple Store in Denmark. Just one, please.

In the July/August issue of Monocle (Tyler Brûlés monthly style bible), Copenhagen was ranked no. 1 among "The World's 25 Top Cities for Quality of life". In addition the magazine proclaims the capital of Denmark as "Best Design City".

Yet we don't have a single official Apple Store in Denmark.
Come on Apple. Your retail magic would be a perfect fit over here.


They could put it next to Lego Land! That would be Awesome!

They could cross-promote and build a giant lego iMac out front :p

You mean somewhere in the middle? Along the BedSty-East NY-Jamaica line? Suuuure! :cool:
That is, my friend, a hard-core ghetto line, IMO the worst part of NYC.

That stretch is up an coming. The artists and creative types are fleeing alphabet city and headed in that general direction. I used to work in Metrotech there and they are tearing everything down.

Brooklyn Heights would probably be a better area. More in line with the Apple coolness factor.

[JamesRR]

Jeez, you sound like a really cheesy, cheap real estate agent - a lot of meaningless empty cliches... "young" - I guess but way too much 40s guy who likes to fish around there, "hip" and "trendy" - ehhehehe, for who? For clueless NYU kids coming from countryside, perhaps. :p



I wouldn't consider the East Village to be an NYU/college enclave. I also wouldn't call it hip and trendy. It's one of the last neighborhoods downtown that hasn't been completely gentrified to death (yet). It also doesn't seem right for an Apple store - Apple tends to put its stores in areas that are more upscale - like SoHo, the Meatpacking District, and 5 Ave in Midtown. The East Village and the 34th Street corridor don't fit that group. 34th Street is an unpleasantly crowded stretch of retail - loaded with chain stores. None of Apple's current stores in NY are in areas like that.

[rufwork]

Where's (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=21-25+W.+34th+St.,+New+york,+NY&sll=32.921537,-79.846825&sspn=0.022335,0.040126&g=Rivers+Reach+Dr,+Charleston,+SC+29492&ie=UTF8&ll=40.750301,-73.985855&spn=0.00252,0.007054&t=h&z=18&layer=c&cbll=40.749145,-73.986229&panoid=N-zmJWWeMcyO0uXiM88ahQ&cbp=1,306.5976910050399,,0,-5.927906702850387) the crater? Is that about where?

[ColonelSmith]

what about toledo, ohio? haha

I'm sure Joe the plumber would approve :)

[sgntscrawn]

I'm going to join in on the chorus of all the non-Americans here, and say that a good move would be to invest in more Apple stores worldwide.

In terms of sales, the various regions have all outperformed the Americas in growth. Yet the number of stores in America far outweighs the other regions. Go where the money is, Apple, the rest of us! :D

And to the rest of the Aussies, here, amen to another store. Perhaps in little old Adelaide? :P

[alphaod]

You're spoiled as well.
Give us just one Apple Store in Denmark. Please.

I'm all for a store in Denmark, but let's be practical here; Apple takes account of market and purchasing power.

The "GDP" of Manhattan is about 5x more than that of Denmark. Then they have that big ***** country in the Far East with 1 teeny store.


The US one has, like, I dunno, ten TRILLION, yet you lot are complaining of that, where we here, in "The Lucky Country" have all of THREE!!!


Yeah that's a big exaggeration, but nonetheless, I think Apple is patriotic. :D

Wirelessly posted (my blackberry pearl: BlackBerry8130/4.3.0 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/105 UP.Browser/5.0.3.3)

Wow apple is picky they didn't like the building across the street, why not but and lease that one. What a waste of 50 million.

I'm sure you mean buy not but, but…

Anyways seeing you're from New York, you should realize that if Apple wanted to buy the space, they would have to purchase the entire building? Which is what 5 billion? Yeah that would be a viable purchase. As viable as the fools who bought Rockefeller Center!

[137489]

2-3 years ago, Apple announced that they were going to open a Greensboro, NC store. Especially since the closing of CompUsa was imminent and that was Apple's only Greensboro location. All the news papers said it was coming. Greensboro was estatic with the extra revenue it would generate for the city (especially with the loss of CompUSA), and people praised at the location choosen (Friendly Shopping Center - full of upscale stores).

Even residents were very happy as they would no longer have to drive over an hour to Durham, or over 2-hours to Charlotte. even Apple said it would open by the spring of 2008.

WE ARE STILL WAITING!!!!!!

The CompUSA store still sits empty. I say put the Apple store there. Good location, right beside Four Seasons Town center (when the owner died, they spent millions re-rennovating a 3-level mall they just rennovated). Plus that location, they just refurbished the Bellsouth Building across the street into the new AT&T Building, Greensboro Welcome Center. Next door to it, they just tore down the old 4 seasons business offices and built a huge megaplex cinema and the whole High Point road area that runs from the mall up through the coloseum is going to get a whole new face lift. Plus the mall has it's own exit off of I-40/Bus85. I cannot think of a more perfect location. When Compusa was there, they were always packed.

Even more of a bonus with using the CompUSA location - the mall (on the opposite side) has a huge sheraton with Conference Center. that parking lot is always full and always full of buses. PLus they just closed the Howard Johnson and turned that into an upscale double-tree hotel.

With Greensboro growing like crazy, I say it would be good for Apple to have a 3rd location in the center of the state. Friendly is just too conjested of an area and not many people like going there (traffic, no parking, not to mention most of the anchor stores pulled out after the shopping center was sold for the 3rd time in a year).

[137489]

2-3 years ago, Apple announced that they were going to open a Greensboro, NC store. Especially since the closing of CompUsa was imminent and that was Apple's only Greensboro location. All the news papers said it was coming. Greensboro was estatic with the extra revenue it would generate for the city (especially with the loss of CompUSA), and people praised at the location choosen (Friendly Shopping Center - full of upscale stores).

Even residents were very happy as they would no longer have to drive over an hour to Durham, or over 2-hours to Charlotte. even Apple said it would open by the spring of 2008.

WE ARE STILL WAITING!!!!!!

The CompUSA store still sits empty. I say put the Apple store there. Good location, right beside Four Seasons Town center (when the owner died, they spent millions re-rennovating a 3-level mall they just rennovated). Plus that location, they just refurbished the Bellsouth Building across the street into the new AT&T Building, Greensboro Welcome Center. Next door to it, they just tore down the old 4 seasons business offices and built a huge megaplex cinema and the whole High Point road area that runs from the mall up through the coloseum is going to get a whole new face lift. Plus the mall has it's own exit off of I-40/Bus85. I cannot think of a more perfect location. When Compusa was there, they were always packed.

Even more of a bonus with using the CompUSA location - the mall (on the opposite side) has a huge sheraton with Conference Center. that parking lot is always full and always full of buses. PLus they just closed the Howard Johnson and turned that into an upscale double-tree hotel.

With Greensboro growing like crazy, I say it would be good for Apple to have a 3rd location in the center of the state. Friendly is just too conjested of an area and not many people like going there (traffic, no parking, not to mention most of the anchor stores pulled out after the shopping center was sold for the 3rd time in a year).

[pilotError]

I'm sure with the current economic collapse, they are probably re-evaluating all their future expansion plans to see if they still make sense.

[Bartvanderveer]

Apple should not open another store in NYC..
I agree...
What Apple need to do is to open an Apple Store in The Netherlands (The Hague / Amsterdam)...