Apple to build fourth Manhattan flagship on Upper West Side

[AppleInsider]

Apple Inc. plans to completely raze a Victoria Secret flagship shop on Manhattan's Upper West Side and replace it with one of its own, according to the New York Post.

The location at 1981 Broadway on the northwest corner of West 67th Street currently hosts a Victoria Secret store, but Apple is planning to tear it down entirely and build from scratch a high-profile hot spot that's more to its liking, the paper said.

Since the electronics maker "loves glass, rectangles and cubes," the Post speculates that the 8,500 foot, slightly irregular plot could end up supporting a classy glass structure somewhat smaller than the current 23,997-square-foot, three level lingerie shop when all is said and done.

The land is reportedly owned by the Brandt Organization, whose brothers previously tore down the building that housed the Cineplex Odeon Regency Theater and other neighborhood staples in order to put up the current white box for Victoria's Secret.

"The sexy lingerie retailer's parent, Limited Brands, has been trying to sublease the space for some time," the Post said. "In fact, two years ago, we heard that Apple was hot on that trail but apparently got sidetracked amid the permutations of creating its flagship store at the General Motors Building on Fifth Avenue."

Future home of the Apple Store Upper West Side -- thanks Racked for the photo.









Ground floor leases in the general area of the proposed Apple store are currently running $275 to $300 a square foot. Though no date was reported alongside Apple's plans, its likely the shop would be positioned for an opening ahead of next year's holiday shopping season.

The Upper West Side Apple store would be the company's fourth on the island, joining existing locations in SoHo, Midtown, and the Meatpacking District. The Cupertino-based company is also rumored to be looking into yet another flagship location on West 34th Street, directly across from the Empire State Building.

[ View this article at AppleInsider.com ]

[jonyp]

Considering that the Apple Store on 5th Avenue used to be the former site of the old Playboy Club, way back when, I think Apple might be starting a trend here with Victoria' Secret.

Next thing you know, their next Apple Store will be where the Hustler Club is now!

[Obelix]

Originally Posted by AppleInsider

The Upper West Side Apple store would be the company's fourth on the island, joining existing locations in SoHo, Midtown, and the Meatpacking District. The Cupertino-based company is also rumored to be looking into yet another flagship location on West 34th Street, directly across from the Empire State Building.

Hot diddly damn! Apple has more retail stores in New York than in all of continental Europe. They really ought to start taking more care of their foreign customers.

[digitalclips]

Shame they couldn't find a way to mix the two

[tjs]

Steve's Secret?

[GQB]

Originally Posted by tjs

Steve's Secret?

Victoria's Apples?

[melgross]

Originally Posted by jonyp

Considering that the Apple Store on 5th Avenue used to be the former site of the old Playboy Club, way back when, I think Apple might be starting a trend here with Victoria' Secret.

Next thing you know, their next Apple Store will be where the Hustler Club is now!

I used to go to the old Playboy club. those were the days. You needed to pay for a $75 "key" to become a member, then they dropped the price to $25, and let all the riffraff in, sigh! Too bad, it was nice while it lasted.

To get back to the store:

This seems to be just a bit too close to the one in the GM Plaza.

[Marktrek]

"Apple plans to completely raze a Victoria Secret flagship shop on Manhattan's Upper West Side and replace it with one of its own, according to the New York Post."


A forth flagship just in Manhattan. And maybe a fifth? If flagship stores do so well then why not plan then for every large city or shopping area. It looks like one is being built in Boston, and the Georgetown space near Foggy Bottom should be a flagship. But why not Philadelphia, Miami, Atlanta, Houston, Dallas, Denver, etc.

The new Waikiki store will be two stories but the floor space will not be that different from any other large mall location.
If you are interested in construction photos - web.mac.com/marktrek/iWeb/Site%202/Royal%20Hawaiian%20Shopping%20Center.html

[bigd86]

Great spot-right next to Ollies (great dumplings) and across the street from the Lincoln Square Imax multiplex. Since Tower Records closed down there has been no place other than Barnes and Noble to hang out before or after a movie. Now there will be the perfect place to hang! EXCELLENT!

[teckstud]

This a much, much, better location and makes more retail sense than the meatpacking district. The Time Warner center is right down the street and doing very well with great high end stores in it. It's a block from Central Park- tons of tourists shopping. It's near Columbus Circle - lots of subways stop there.
But sorry- the 5th Avenue store was not where there Playboy club was which was down the street. Apple actually sits where Vidal Sasson salon once was in the GM Building. Sorry to burst your bubble(s).

[MissKitty]

Originally Posted by GQB

Victoria's Apples?

*shudder*

[josa92]

Oh great, just what we needed.
Another Apple store.
in Manhattan.
Oh.
Over saturation is overly saturated.

[melgross]

Originally Posted by bigd86

Great spot-right next to Ollies (great dumplings) and across the street from the Lincoln Square Imax multiplex. Since Tower Records closed down there has been no place other than Barnes and Noble to hang out before or after a movie. Now there will be the perfect place to hang! EXCELLENT!

Ollies is a place the kids from my daughters HS go to at times. But, it's really terrible. Did they ever fix up the front, and kick out the bums and drug addicts?

[melgross]

Originally Posted by teckstud

This a much, much, better location and makes more retail sense than the meatpacking district. The Time Warner center is right down the street and doing very well with great high end stores in it. It's a block from Central Park- tons of tourists shopping. It's near Columbus Circle - lots of subways stop there.
But sorry- the 5th Avenue store was not where there Playboy club was which was down the street. Apple actually sits where Vidal Sasson salon once was in the GM Building. Sorry to burst your bubble(s).

The meatpacking district is right near one of the most viable, and youngest, communities in the city. If you go there during the day, or early evening, you can see crowds of young (usually under 30) people. It's also not too far from the Photo District, and 14th st, along with 23rd are big shopping areas, though not all of the highest nature, to be true.

It will get a lot of business, also being near a nexus of transportation.

[teckstud]

Originally Posted by melgross

The meatpacking district is right near one of the most viable, and youngest, communities in the city. If you go there during the day, or early evening, you can see crowds of young (usually under 30) people. It's also not too far from the Photo District, and 14th st, along with 23rd are big shopping areas, though not all of the highest nature, to be true.

It will get a lot of business, also being near a nexus of transportation.

What nexus of transportation? The closest train is the E/A/C line and that's a nexus? HA.
Granted it's great if you live in Chelsea or the West Village but that's about it. Name another comparable store nearby within 2 blocks? It's a nightlife neighborhood with ultra trendy bistros and bars but that's all. The other stores are all haute couture wannabes. Maybe Apple will change the neighborhood but for now it is totally not retail. The 23rd street flat iron district and mid 14th st union square are but they are not walkably close.
And of course the store is crowded with people -it just opened 2 weeks ago!

[melgross]

Originally Posted by teckstud

What nexus of transportation? The closest train is the E/A/C line and that's a nexus? HA.
Granted it's great if you live in Chelsea or the West Village but that's about it. Name another comparable store nearby within 2 blocks? It's a nightlife neighborhood with ultra trendy bistros and bars but that's all. The other stores are all haute couture wannabes. Maybe Apple will change the neighborhood but for now it is totally not retail. The 23rd street flat iron district and mid 14th st union square are but they are not walkably close.
And of course the store is crowded with people -it just opened 2 weeks ago!

14th st and Union Square is a few blocks away. You can get just about anything there. You can also get the "L" over if you're too lazy to walk a few blocks.

[teckstud]

Originally Posted by melgross

14th st and Union Square is a few blocks away. You can get just about anything there. You can also get the "L" over if you're too lazy to walk a few blocks.

Dude-you must not be a New Yorker. The meatpacking district is not "a few blocks away" from Union Square! With your reasoning so is Times Square and Penn Station!

The Fifth Avenue store and Soho are both in prime retail locations. I work in real estate and meatpacking is not a retail location. It's a nightlife location- big difference.

[melgross]

Originally Posted by teckstud

Dude-you must not be a New Yorker. The meatpacking district is not "a few blocks away" from Union Square! With your reasoning so is Times Square and Penn Station!

The Fifth Avenue store and Soho are both in prime retail locations. I work in real estate and meatpacking is not a retail location. It's a nightlife location- big difference.

I've just lived here all my 58 years. I went to high school around there, and my two companies were also around that area.

So Dude yourself.

[Timo]

ugh. Flagship is one. One best. Not four, or five "flagships."

E.g., wikipedia:

As with so many other naval terms, flagship has crossed over into common parlance, where it means the most important or leading member of a group. It has also come to be an adjective describing the most prominent or highly touted product, brand, location, or service among those offered by a company.

It's a fourth store, not a fourth flagship.

[dh87]

Originally Posted by Timo

ugh. Flagship is one. One best. Not four, or five "flagships."

A company that sells only premium computers builds only flagship stores. Of course, in a big storm, there are no tugboat stores to help the flagship stores into port, and they all sink.

[melgross]

Originally Posted by dh87

A company that sells only premium computers builds only flagship stores. Of course, in a big storm, there are no tugboat stores to help the flagship stores into port, and they all sink.

It seems to me that any fairly large independent store, that is, one that's not in a mall storefront, would be called a "flagship" store.

But, it also relegates the previous "flagship" stores in the vicinity to non, "flagship "stores.

The SoHo store was certainly a Flagship when it opened, but the GM store surpassed it in size, location, and trendyness. The SoHo store is still in full swing, and is still full, but it's no longer THE flagship store here.

The meatpacking store is now the biggest, and so is the new flagship. I don't think this new, proposed, store would take away from that.

After all, this word "flagship" is not an official one. The guard gets passed down, just as in a real fleet, when a newer, larger, faster, more powerful vessel enters and becomes the new Flagship. The older one is still there, but is no longer the top dog. The admiral has left and gone to the new one.

[superkaratemonkeydeathcar]

Originally Posted by josa92

Oh great, just what we needed.
Another Apple store.
in Manhattan.
Oh.
Over saturation is overly saturated.

Talk to people standing in line at the Genius Bar and you may change your tune. Especially with CompUSA dead and many people looking down the barrel of BestBuy in 1 way or another (Yes, it Is possible to suck harder than CompUSA).
-Also, right next to Lincoln Center is a pretty sweet location, even though it's technically not real far from 59/5.

[Galley]

And still no Apple Store in South Carolina.

[El Capitan]

Originally Posted by melgross

After all, this word "flagship" is not an official one. The guard gets passed down, just as in a real fleet, when a newer, larger, faster, more powerful vessel enters and becomes the new Flagship. The older one is still there, but is no longer the top dog. The admiral has left and gone to the new one.

Actually it is an official term used by Apple and SOHO, 5th Ave, and W14 are all classified as Flagship stores according to Apple.

You should know this, you seem to know everything else

[melgross]

Originally Posted by El Capitan

Actually it is an official term used by Apple and SOHO, 5th Ave, and W14 are all classified as Flagship stores according to Apple.

You should know this, you seem to know everything else

Most everything. At least get it right please.

[teckstud]

Originally Posted by melgross

The meatpacking district is right near one of the most viable, and youngest, communities in the city. If you go there during the day, or early evening, you can see crowds of young (usually under 30) people. It'.

A friend of mine went to meatpacking last night to get his iPhone replaced and said that the store was not crowded, with more salespeople than customers- not a good sign- 6 days before Christmas and 2 weeks after opening.

[oohlala13]

Originally Posted by Galley

And still no Apple Store in South Carolina.

My sister said that a apple store is almost complete in Greensboro, NC, which is smaller and less economically advanced than either Greenville or Charleston. Maybe if we would take down the confederate flag--we might get one here sooner. They already have one in Alabama.

[zoetmb]

It's not clear whether Apple is buying or leasing the land from the Brandts, but I'm a little suspect because there are plenty of developers who would put up a much taller building on that site (although there would be a battle with the local Board) and pay the Brandts a lot more money for it. So why would they sell or lease it to Apple?

I also don't see why Apple would need to tear it down. Seems to me they might want to strip the building or put up a totally new front, but why change it structurally unless they're going to add floors?

And while there is the giant multiplex across the street and Lincoln Center starts a block south, that's not a particularly high-traffic location, especially at night. I think there is far more pedestrian traffic north of 72nd street.

I don't think its proximity to 5th Avenue is an issue because people who live on the west side consider 5th Avenue and 59th Street to be a different neighborhood and might rarely find themselves over there, but if Apple wanted to better cover the city, I think they would have been better off with a location around 86th and Lex or 3rd or even in the 80s on the West Side. That's where people shop.

As far as the meatpacking district is concerned, that might not be the perfect retail location today, but within five years, it will be and Apple will be praised for starting it (even though it didn't) or for being smart enough to get in at the beginning. There's tons of new apartments being developed, almost all of the meatpackers are gone, other specialized retail is nearby, Chelsea Market is doing really, really well and the rest of that former Nabisco Factory is being redeveloped, so there will eventually be thousands, if not tens of thousands of additional workers in that neighborhood.

And as to why Apple is opening so many stores in NYC? It's because you have 8 million residents in a small geographic area plus workers who come in from Connecticut, New Jersey, Long Island and New York State and millions of tourists (who are coming in droves to take advantage of the cheap dollar, now that we've become a third-world country.)

[melgross]

Originally Posted by zoetmb

It's not clear whether Apple is buying or leasing the land from the Brandts, but I'm a little suspect because there are plenty of developers who would put up a much taller building on that site (although there would be a battle with the local Board) and pay the Brandts a lot more money for it. So why would they sell or lease it to Apple?

I also don't see why Apple would need to tear it down. Seems to me they might want to strip the building or put up a totally new front, but why change it structurally unless they're going to add floors?

And while there is the giant multiplex across the street and Lincoln Center starts a block south, that's not a particularly high-traffic location, especially at night. I think there is far more pedestrian traffic north of 72nd street.

I don't think its proximity to 5th Avenue is an issue because people who live on the west side consider 5th Avenue and 59th Street to be a different neighborhood and might rarely find themselves over there, but if Apple wanted to better cover the city, I think they would have been better off with a location around 86th and Lex or 3rd or even in the 80s on the West Side. That's where people shop.

As far as the meatpacking district is concerned, that might not be the perfect retail location today, but within five years, it will be and Apple will be praised for starting it (even though it didn't) or for being smart enough to get in at the beginning. There's tons of new apartments being developed, almost all of the meatpackers are gone, other specialized retail is nearby, Chelsea Market is doing really, really well and the rest of that former Nabisco Factory is being redeveloped, so there will eventually be thousands, if not tens of thousands of additional workers in that neighborhood.

And as to why Apple is opening so many stores in NYC? It's because you have 8 million residents in a small geographic area plus workers who come in from Connecticut, New Jersey, Long Island and New York State and millions of tourists (who are coming in droves to take advantage of the cheap dollar, now that we've become a third-world country.)

From what was said, it looks as though they are sub-leasing from Limited Brands, the owner of Victoria's Secret.

Also, with NYC being the advertising hub, photo hub, and overall, the having the biggest concentration of Apple users, it's not going to be overloaded. With CompUsa going out, Best Buy won't be able to take up the slack, nor will Apple's other retailers in the city, so Apple must step in in a big way.

[El Capitan]

Originally Posted by melgross

Most everything. At least get it right please.

Speak for yourself.

[melgross]

Originally Posted by El Capitan

Speak for yourself.

I always do Mr. Snarky.

[Iwantamac!]

To me this is very anoying, we need an apple retail store in edinburgh! the nearest one is in glasgow (60 miles or so). Fair enough, its not THAT far but edinburgh is the capital of scotland, would i be right in saying that the UK is one of the biggest countrys that apple sells to ( that is the best way i could think of to word it! sorry)

Apple could open a store in Edinburgh and it would be a flagship store! Its the god damn capital!

sorry for the rant, its just frustrating!

P.T

[josa92]

Originally Posted by superkaratemonkeydeathcar

Talk to people standing in line at the Genius Bar and you may change your tune. Especially with CompUSA dead and many people looking down the barrel of BestBuy in 1 way or another (Yes, it Is possible to suck harder than CompUSA).
-Also, right next to Lincoln Center is a pretty sweet location, even though it's technically not real far from 59/5.

Granted, the Genius Bar is very crowded at certain times of the day. But a whole other store just seems like somewhat of a tourist trap. I don't know; I'm not in the business of business, but it seems to me this is a bad idea.