Apple's Upper West Side Store Unveiled

[MacRumors]

ifoAppleStore notes that Apple has taken the wraps off the company's new Upper West Side retail store in New York City in advance of the public opening scheduled for Saturday morning.

At night the store is a beacon visible for several blocks, especially for those approaching by car or on foot from the south. The glow of the ceiling lights, the backlit logo and the back-lit wall graphics are brighter than anything on Broadway. As you approach closer, the towering height of the storefront becomes apparent. Once in front of the building, you realize that Apple opted not to create another Boston or Regent Street (London) store, with a mezzanine level. They took the Scottsdale Quarter (Arizona) store and did it one better -- this single space is about two and one-half times the volume of the Scottsdale building, and with a second level hidden away below ground like Fifth Avenue (NYC).

Numerous workers were busy Wednesday night cleaning the interior and exterior of the building in preparation for the store's opening. ifoAppleStore has also posted a gallery of photos of the new store, demonstrating the sparsely-arranged ground floor, towering ceiling, and low-profile spiral staircase to the lower level.




Apple will be opening several other retail stores this Saturday, with one in Montpellier becoming the second French store after the Paris store that opened last week, and a second opening in Chermside, Australia, a suburb of Brisbane.

Article Link: Apple's Upper West Side Store Unveiled

[Mudbug]

I bet that thing costs a small fortune on a daily basis to heat and cool.

[rubenerd]

Originally Posted by Mudbug

I bet that thing costs a small fortune on a daily basis to heat and cool.

Not to mention clean, look at all that glass! Looks amazing though.

[dual64bit]

Wow! It's so big! Those must be 30 foot ceilings!

[iekozz]

I like most Apple stores, but I think this one looks not right. It's nice on the outside, but the inside is just some tables with Apple products laid nicely.

[hhaeschen]

Originally Posted by Mudbug

I bet that thing costs a small fortune on a daily basis to heat and cool.

Do they even expect to make profit in such flagship stores? Or is the purpose to create some buzz and upvalue the brand?

[fifthworld]

Amazing and beautiful. But so much for the "green" Apple.

[BittenApple]

Apple's logo looks nice in between glass.

[ToM7]

WOW amazing

[Consultant]

Originally Posted by hhaeschen

Do they even expect to make profit in such flagship stores? Or is the purpose to create some buzz and upvalue the brand?

LOL. Apple Stores do much better than you think, even surpassing Tiffany in terms of sales per area.

[talkingfuture]

That looks amazing, so much space. Looks so much better than the standard shopping centre stores like we have here.

[arkitect]

I can't say I am a big fan of this one…
Usually they get their designs spot on.

This is just an aircraft hangar — looks big enough to fit a Zeppelin or two…

[benpatient]

Yeah seriously the only way this could be less "Green" is if the tables are made from virgin Amazonian hardwood forest planks and the walls are coated in lead paint.

Even if they're using mercury-free lights (doesn't look like it though), just getting that much air heated and cooled enough to keep it warm at head level in the winter is going to use as much resources as a small town.

Looks like the kind of place people will know is there, but never visit.

I'm actually more interested in that "Ollies" place next door. Might have to visit!

[vivithemage]

TOO big imo, makes everything look too small.

[raybo]

I'm sure that the store will be solar-powered.

[scott911]

In the end, it's all just tables with computers on them... but I would have thought they'd try to keep the "mystery" going till the last possible moment - and remove the window paper later friday night...

[jfreak623]

WAAAYYY to big for whats inside. Looks silly. Not a fan of this one apple...not to mention wasted energy heating this place up.

[fastbite]

This is not a shop, it's a cathedral!

[iOrlando]

i like the design. Dont forget people, these stores are usually packed when opened...having alot of open air (with sky lights) will give the store a very nice feel and touch compared to the average apple store found in a mall or something.

heating/cooling would be just like any other building, no difference. Need for lighting is reduced due to skylights.

[Scarpad]

Originally Posted by Mudbug

I bet that thing costs a small fortune on a daily basis to heat and cool.

I was going to say its about the same size as My mall Apple store just stuck in a way huge building.. seems wasteful

[phatcat]

For a company that's pushing "Being Green," all that space is a waste. It actually appalls me at how ritzy & wasteful it looks.

[Dagless]

Originally Posted by iekozz

I like most Apple stores, but I think this one looks not right. It's nice on the outside, but the inside is just some tables with Apple products laid nicely.

I agree, I like Apple stores too but when I look at this I just think "wasted space". Oh and "heating bills".

[fifthworld]

So this is a confirmation than Apple is becoming a religion: here we go with a monumental cathedral.

[Parky]

Originally Posted by iOrlando

i like the design. Dont forget people, these stores are usually packed when opened...having alot of open air (with sky lights) will give the store a very nice feel and touch compared to the average apple store found in a mall or something.

heating/cooling would be just like any other building, no difference. Need for lighting is reduced due to skylights.

Heating and cooling will be significantly more than a normal store.
And lights will be required much of the time, in fact I bet they have them on all the time regardless. It is a waste of space and very ungreen

[BlizzardBomb]

I'm all for minimalism, but this just looks awful. It's like a doll's house made out of glass.