Just wondering, I just want to know, not for any particular reason, just want to know if I could stay at Apple 5th Avenue for an extended period of time...
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How long can you stay in an Apple Store until you get kicked out
- Thread starter WilliApple
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Most likely depends on security as opposed to staff. Probably violates some type of loitering law as you’ll inevitably be suspicious once you become the “where’s Waldo” of the store.
If you get a job there, you could probably stay longer than opening hours.
The 5th Ave store is open 24 hours a day.
I think you would raise suspicions if you bring in a sleeping bag, and that stack of firewood might be questioned, too.
How long (in your opinion) is "an extended period of time"? 2 hours? 2 weeks?
How long (in your opinion) is "an extended period of time"? 2 hours? 2 weeks?
Only at the weekend, except days ending with the letter y
I did once see someone carried out of an Apple store by four security guards.
about 4 hours.
based on 2 hours of actively playing with everything in a large apple store. then doubling it for practical limitations.
go from device to device in a slow manner so that you dont need to circle the store or backtrack too many times.
dont use the rest room more than once. dont have a bag that looks too easy to put anything in.
the 5th avenue store in particular would not raise a lot of eyebrows. its a large space.
however, dont use the rest room too many times (anyhing more than 1 time would be suspicious).
if you have a lot of luggage and you seem to be spending too much time there they will ask you if there is anything you are looking for which would be the sign that your welcome is being worn out.
the 5th avenue store i know has been redesigned since the last time i was there. if it has some kind of sitting area that's usually used for instructional presentations, try to not sit down there at any time if its the night time.
in reality if your plane or train or bus is a few hours away, they would be just happy to know that you chose to spend the time with them while waiting for your transportation.
i have spent 2 to 3 hours in a lot of apple stores around the world, in a a lot of countries. its something i enjoy.
apple stores are churches for the mac faithful. and i pray in them often.
there has been only 1 store where i felt un-wanted: ala moana center apple store (a small apple store) in honolulu on a weekday evening. no people in the store except me and about 5 employees. after just 10 minutes i left. its almost like they had never seen a customer before and 10 eyes watching every device i touched.
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Its not an issue that I would ever have, as my wife has advised all of the Apple stores in our area that I am not allowed to enter the store with out her presence, and she’s only good for about 20 minutes then were gone
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Apple Stores in Las Vegas, such as the Forum Shops at Caesars Palace and others located on the Las Vegas Strip casinos, used to be open until midnight on weekends and until 11 pm on weekdays.
These casinos often have businesses that stay open late, including restaurants. However, since many people spend the night out or stay up late, the Apple Stores in Las Vegas don’t open until 10 am or 11 am but stay open for 12 hours straight. After the pandemic, this practice has changed. Apple Stores in Las Vegas now close like any other Apple Store at 9 pm or 10 pm, depending on the day of the week.
Currently, there is only one Apple Store in New York City (NYC) that is still open very late or 24/7.
Btw when I went to the vegas Apple Stores a hour or two before they closed at midnight before the hour change it does get weird sometimes y’all are just there with only 10-12 Specialists in the store.
Clearly the question is unanswerable until you tell us what you intend to be doing while in Apple 5th Avenue. How clean and well dressed you choose to be for your visit will likely also have an impact.
Last year I spent about 2 hrs in the Apple-Store @ London/CoventGarden, while my wife was on shopping tour.
Had my 2013 OCLP/Ventura-pimped 11" MBA with me
and did some basic work on my server at home through iPhone-Hotspot/VPN-connection.
Mainly because it felt pretty cool ... (Anyone remember "Contact" and Jodie Fosters Video-call through her notebook while she was sitting in the desert between all these huge radio-telescopes from the Very Large Array?)
Well, I was a bit sorry that I didn't bring my 12" Powerbook!
Had my 2013 OCLP/Ventura-pimped 11" MBA with me
and did some basic work on my server at home through iPhone-Hotspot/VPN-connection.
Mainly because it felt pretty cool ... (Anyone remember "Contact" and Jodie Fosters Video-call through her notebook while she was sitting in the desert between all these huge radio-telescopes from the Very Large Array?)
Well, I was a bit sorry that I didn't bring my 12" Powerbook!
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That's my usual experience when shopping at an AAPL Store.
There are rest rooms? In my city (in DE) there are two large Apple Stores and neither have facilities. Not sure how it is in the rest of Germany, where folks are "invited or nudged" to pay the attendants/ cleaners.
Come to think of it, I didn't come across a lavatory at the couple Stores I visited in Australia either. 🤷♂️
I share your experience.
I typically visit my local Apple Store every few weeks, usually when a new product is released or a new Apple Watch is introduced.
During each visit, I usually spend two to three hours exploring the store and checking out new products like the latest iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Apple Watch bands.
I also get to try out the Vision Pro, and as long as I mention that I’ve done a demo before, they allow me to play it for half an hour and explore any features I’m interested in.
Apple stores do have restrooms for customers to use, not just the employees’ restrooms in the back rooms. For larger locations like Apple Park’s visitor center, there’s signage on the stairwells indicating the bathroom’s location, which is conveniently located in the basement. It’s super clean looking.
On the other hand, some smaller Apple Store locations have bathrooms open to customers. However, you need to know where it is. Most of them require you to find the secret door that leads to the back, where you’ll find a single stall one in the back hallway.
It’s possible that some stores may not have bathrooms open to customers. In such cases, it’s best to ask a Specialist in the Apple Store for assistance in locating the bathroom. My local store and the ones in the malls don’t have bathrooms open to customers, so they direct customers to a nearby store, a Starbucks, or a public restroom in the mall hallway.
Just wondering, why don't you ask an employee? Seems like a logical move 😀
Alas, I enter an AAPL Store with the specific intent to procure an item.
Just waiting for a Rep with whom to establish cogent dialogue takes a good 45min...
I'd love to be in-n-out, but that's not how it works, it seems 🤷♂️
Actually, years ago in the days when lining up (and even kind of camping out outdoors nearby) at Apple stores in advance of a new product update or first appearance/launch was still a thing, a friend and I spent the night at our local mall (not in the Apple Store itself) in anticipation of the store's opening in the morning with its newest iPhone for us and others to see first, appreciate and purchase.
A bunch of us had already formed a line in the mall, as near as we could get to the Apple Store, starting at around 4:00 or maybe even earlier the evening before the actual product launch. If I recall correctly, my friend and I got there around 7:30 PM. For whatever reason, instead of just kicking us all out when it was time for the mall to close, the Apple Store folks and the Mall folks allowed those of us who were already in line inside the mall building to just go ahead and stay there all night. It was a really cool experience! Truly unforgettable.... There's a thread about that somewhere here on MR.....
ETA: There are probably other threads related to that night, too, as I definitely remember posting a few times throughout the night, but this is the first one I found. It was September 18, 2014 for the iPhone 6/6 Plus at the Tysons Corner Apple Store (Northern Virginia). A fun and unusual night!
On topic here in this thread, usually when I go immediately to an Apple Store I have a specific purpose in mind and go and look at the curious-about or becoming desired or actually being-considered-for-purchase product, and if need be, also chat with an Apple staff member working the floor to get any further information I might need about it. I've usually done my homework online in advance so that I'm not wasting either their time or my own and usually have specific questions.
The process of inquiry, further exploration into the product and perhaps/usually actual purchase transaction does take a while, but I'm prepared for that.
Sometimes if I'm in the mall for other reasons, though, sure, I'll pop into the Apple Store for a fast look around just to see the newest goodies and to experience the overall Apple Store vibes, and then just move on if I'm really not considering or ready to make a purchase at that time.
A bunch of us had already formed a line in the mall, as near as we could get to the Apple Store, starting at around 4:00 or maybe even earlier the evening before the actual product launch. If I recall correctly, my friend and I got there around 7:30 PM. For whatever reason, instead of just kicking us all out when it was time for the mall to close, the Apple Store folks and the Mall folks allowed those of us who were already in line inside the mall building to just go ahead and stay there all night. It was a really cool experience! Truly unforgettable.... There's a thread about that somewhere here on MR.....
ETA: There are probably other threads related to that night, too, as I definitely remember posting a few times throughout the night, but this is the first one I found. It was September 18, 2014 for the iPhone 6/6 Plus at the Tysons Corner Apple Store (Northern Virginia). A fun and unusual night!
On topic here in this thread, usually when I go immediately to an Apple Store I have a specific purpose in mind and go and look at the curious-about or becoming desired or actually being-considered-for-purchase product, and if need be, also chat with an Apple staff member working the floor to get any further information I might need about it. I've usually done my homework online in advance so that I'm not wasting either their time or my own and usually have specific questions.
The process of inquiry, further exploration into the product and perhaps/usually actual purchase transaction does take a while, but I'm prepared for that.
Sometimes if I'm in the mall for other reasons, though, sure, I'll pop into the Apple Store for a fast look around just to see the newest goodies and to experience the overall Apple Store vibes, and then just move on if I'm really not considering or ready to make a purchase at that time.
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I usually only visit stores for essentials like groceries, to pick up food from restaurants, or for quick errands like Starbucks, pharmacies, health centers, or to pick up checks.
However, I make an exception for Apple Stores. I spend a lot of time there because I’m always on the lookout for the latest releases, demos of AirPods, AirTags, and the Vision Pro (which requires an Apple Specialist to request). I also love browsing the Apple Watch bands and other accessories.
Before upgrading my iPhone to the 15 Pro, I used to visit Apple Stores every Sunday. Now, I go every two to three weeks. Interestingly, several Apple Specialists in my local store recognize me and greet me whenever I wear an Apple shirt. I have two Apple shirts from Apple Park, one from Apple Infinite Loop (which closed in 2024).
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I once stayed back for a repair which took 2-3 hours and an hr later after the store closed. The guard told me there are people who spend few hours, and if they aren’t causing problems or look suspicious it’s not a big deal.
When was that? For a major repair for a Mac or something?
I usually go in the afternoon hours for Apple Store so I don’t cross over the closing time unless it’s a Sunday and I came a little late.
Did some of y’all ever got to stay in there for iPhone, iPad or Apple Watch launch days (excluding the ones for the underrated ones like iPhone 16e)? Heard a few people saying that they did on Apple Store locations that were not open late or 24/7 on nights before launch day of iPhones.