After a long (but not long enough :D) and relaxing summer break, I’m back! Over break, I went to New York City and had a great time. But I also went to a couple of the most famous Apple stores that happen to be in New York City: Apple Fifth Avenue and Apple Grand Central. Let’s start with Apple Grand Central:
The store itself is inside the Main Concourse of the Grand Central station. First of all, it is my first time visiting Grand Central Station, and New York City entirely too. The architecture inside the station is amazing, with rich history through the exquisite architectural details. There is a diverse range of dining and shopping throughout the station: a place where a range of cultures collide. The store itself is positioned near the end of the main hall. Its open-air style lets customers enjoy the distinguished architecture of the concourse while shopping. It’s amazing! I apologize for the low quality of the photo, but it still captures the essence of the scene with the Apple store in the back with the glowing Apple logo.
I got talking to one of the Apple employees working in the retail and she said that the store was one that Steve Jobs dreamed of and planned before his death but did not have a change to execute and build. Cool history!
The other Apple store that I visited was Apple Fifth Avenue. I never even knew it existed before my dad had told me that we needed to check it out, and I wasn’t disappointed! Above, it was a large glass cube and you went down a spiraling staircase to the store entirely underground. It was very expansive, and you could never tell from above ground that the entire store was underneath your feet!
When I got inside, I noticed these porthole-like skylights bringing in sunlight (one is pictured above). My family and I were eating bagels on the patio next to the store and wondered what the circular holes were on the ground. They are skylights! From inside the store, you can see people walking on top of them, not noticing that they are skylights.
The store overall inside was pretty much like a traditional Apple store with specific tables but it was much bigger. It even had wireless charging stations for a recharge when needed. An interesting fact I learned from an employee about this store is it is open 24-hours a day, 7 days a week. Why, you ask? A little history: Steve Jobs designed this store in mind of “The city that never sleeps.” He knew that people may be traveling at odd hours or coming off of night shifts that would need their devices fixed immediately, catering to that idea. I think that is very convenient, especially in NYC. There are many red-eye flights coming into the city so that is another reason to be open 24-hours, is to remember those customers needing help at the moment.
Overall, I really enjoyed my time in New York City and especially visiting some of the most famous Apple Stores. When you are in New York City, go check out these really cool Apple Stores while you are there. They are worth visiting! Check out more about the stores here:
The Apple Enthusiast 