That would be nice, but as long as there are still people in cities, cities will be polluted and smell bad.
Not all cities. Welcome to the People's Republic of Irvine, CA.
Zero graffiti, zero litter, zero homeless, zero crime, zero potholes, etc. Personally I like it, but some prefer a little more personality instead of a 100% planned community. Irvine is not a huge city but it does have 250K population and a ton of big companies.
Great. I was visiting Virginia when the Upper Eastside store opened last month, and I'll be in the UK when my home boro has an opening. I thought it would open next month at the earliest. Not even going to guess when the Williamsburg store will open. From what I remember, that location had work begun before Queens, but suffered construction setbacks. Reports say late 2015, early 2016 at the earliest.
Not most, just large sections. Sometimes the Union Square, Chelsea & SoHo (and others) areas smell like garbage pits late Summer. Friends that visit for the first time are often amazed at how relatively filthy this City is. And don't get me started on family members that have moved away returning for visits.
Yes, I miss all of the porn on 42nd street. Now, it's too commercialized, too many tourists, and companies like Disney have taken over everywhere.
There's nothing wrong with the Disneyfication of 42nd street. They did a brilliant job restoring the New Amsterdam theatre. What's bad is the mallification of 42nd street - bringing in national chain restaurants and retail. I fail to understand how this attracts tourists when tourists can find exactly the same places in their home town malls. Traditionally, most of the big chains avoided NYC. The Gap was one of the first big chains to target NYC and after they did it, everyone else did as well. Now it's a plague and everything that was unique about NYC is disappearing. Real-estate owners prefer big chains over independent operations because the big chains will continue to pay rent even if the operation is losing money and the rich kids who move in from suburbia want the same crappy chains they have at home. It boggles the mind that an Applebees can survive in NYC.
What they should have done on 42nd street was find a way to bring in restaurants and stores that represent New York. Instead of McDonald's and Five Guys, they should have brought in Shake Shack and Jackson Hole. They should have brought in the type of food vendors who participate in Smorgasburg. They should have opened a branch of J&R (now gone, except for a small store inside Century 21) or BH Photo/Video and they should have found some NYC-based hipster clothing stores.
Yes, it's very hip to say that one misses the old, dirty, dangerous NYC, but IMO, everyone who says that either doesn't really mean it or never went to those places. I don't miss the porn and exploitation theatres on 42nd street. That area was scary, disgusting and filled with drug dealers and male and female prostitutes. If you went into one of those theatres, you really did meet a guy like Travis Bickle. Bryant Park is much nicer now than when it was a drug mart. The theatres on 42nd street, once beautiful, were run down, repulsive and attracted the worst people. I'm not unhappy all that's gone. I am unhappy that all the jazz clubs on 52nd street are gone, there's no record stores (except the small selection inside a Best Buy) and there's not a single movie theatre on Broadway between 20th street and 64th street. And outside of midtown, I'm unhappy that CBGB's, Chicago Blues and Manny's Car Wash are gone - the latter two are now fast food restaurants.
Yes, I miss all of the porn on 42nd street. Now, it's too commercialized, too many tourists, and companies like Disney have taken over everywhere.
There's nothing wrong with the Disneyfication of 42nd street. They did a brilliant job restoring the New Amsterdam theatre. What's bad is the mallification of 42nd street - bringing in national chain restaurants and retail. I fail to understand how this attracts tourists when tourists can find exactly the same places in their home town malls. Traditionally, most of the big chains avoided NYC. The Gap was one of the first big chains to target NYC and after they did it, everyone else did as well. Now it's a plague and everything that was unique about NYC is disappearing. Real-estate owners prefer big chains over independent operations because the big chains will continue to pay rent even if the operation is losing money and the rich kids who move in from suburbia want the same crappy chains they have at home. It boggles the mind that an Applebees can survive in NYC.
What they should have done on 42nd street was find a way to bring in restaurants and stores that represent New York. Instead of McDonald's and Five Guys, they should have brought in Shake Shack and Jackson Hole. They should have brought in the type of food vendors who participate in Smorgasburg. They should have opened a branch of J&R (now gone, except for a small store inside Century 21) or BH Photo/Video and they should have found some NYC-based hipster clothing stores.
Yes, it's very hip to say that one misses the old, dirty, dangerous NYC, but IMO, everyone who says that either doesn't really mean it or never went to those places. I don't miss the porn and exploitation theatres on 42nd street. That area was scary, disgusting and filled with drug dealers and male and female prostitutes. If you went into one of those theatres, you really did meet a guy like Travis Bickle. Bryant Park is much nicer now than when it was a drug mart. The theatres on 42nd street, once beautiful, were run down, repulsive and attracted the worst people. I'm not unhappy all that's gone. I am unhappy that all the jazz clubs on 52nd street are gone, there's no record stores (except the small selection inside a Best Buy) and there's not a single movie theatre on Broadway between 20th street and 64th street. And outside of midtown, I'm unhappy that CBGB's, Chicago Blues and Manny's Car Wash are gone - the latter two are now fast food restaurants.
Don't knock Applebee's, it's my end of the week watering hole. . I don't miss the old 42nd St, but I do miss the old Washington Square Park and the old Greenwich Village. I miss the music genres created in NYC. Nobody dresses 'weird' anymore. I can't remember the last time I saw anyone in NYC black. We've become homogenized.
Finally 2.3 million people will have an Apple store. Maybe just having the store store will upgrade the shopping center. By the way, many Apple stores are in shopping centers anchored by Macy's. Sales at this location probably won't effect Apple much directly, but having a Genius Bar (even if they are not labeled that any more) will support and keep Apple users in the area.
Anybody seen any activity at the Williamsburg location?
Now that Gary isn't continuing with ifoapplestore any longer I am glad Appleinsider at least is keeping us informed. I wish they would have the list of the stores in order of their opening dates. Also the world maps that show all locations instead of just the five that Apple chooses on their website.
Some people collect stamps or coins. I'm collecting Apple stores. I'm at 73 currently.
Comments
That would be nice, but as long as there are still people in cities, cities will be polluted and smell bad.
Not all cities. Welcome to the People's Republic of Irvine, CA.
Zero graffiti, zero litter, zero homeless, zero crime, zero potholes, etc. Personally I like it, but some prefer a little more personality instead of a 100% planned community. Irvine is not a huge city but it does have 250K population and a ton of big companies.
Great. I was visiting Virginia when the Upper Eastside store opened last month, and I'll be in the UK when my home boro has an opening. I thought it would open next month at the earliest. Not even going to guess when the Williamsburg store will open. From what I remember, that location had work begun before Queens, but suffered construction setbacks. Reports say late 2015, early 2016 at the earliest.
Isn't most of New York fairly filthy?
Not most, just large sections. Sometimes the Union Square, Chelsea & SoHo (and others) areas smell like garbage pits late Summer. Friends that visit for the first time are often amazed at how relatively filthy this City is. And don't get me started on family members that have moved away returning for visits.
Yes, I miss all of the porn on 42nd street. Now, it's too commercialized, too many tourists, and companies like Disney have taken over everywhere.
There's nothing wrong with the Disneyfication of 42nd street. They did a brilliant job restoring the New Amsterdam theatre. What's bad is the mallification of 42nd street - bringing in national chain restaurants and retail. I fail to understand how this attracts tourists when tourists can find exactly the same places in their home town malls. Traditionally, most of the big chains avoided NYC. The Gap was one of the first big chains to target NYC and after they did it, everyone else did as well. Now it's a plague and everything that was unique about NYC is disappearing. Real-estate owners prefer big chains over independent operations because the big chains will continue to pay rent even if the operation is losing money and the rich kids who move in from suburbia want the same crappy chains they have at home. It boggles the mind that an Applebees can survive in NYC.
What they should have done on 42nd street was find a way to bring in restaurants and stores that represent New York. Instead of McDonald's and Five Guys, they should have brought in Shake Shack and Jackson Hole. They should have brought in the type of food vendors who participate in Smorgasburg. They should have opened a branch of J&R (now gone, except for a small store inside Century 21) or BH Photo/Video and they should have found some NYC-based hipster clothing stores.
Yes, it's very hip to say that one misses the old, dirty, dangerous NYC, but IMO, everyone who says that either doesn't really mean it or never went to those places. I don't miss the porn and exploitation theatres on 42nd street. That area was scary, disgusting and filled with drug dealers and male and female prostitutes. If you went into one of those theatres, you really did meet a guy like Travis Bickle. Bryant Park is much nicer now than when it was a drug mart. The theatres on 42nd street, once beautiful, were run down, repulsive and attracted the worst people. I'm not unhappy all that's gone. I am unhappy that all the jazz clubs on 52nd street are gone, there's no record stores (except the small selection inside a Best Buy) and there's not a single movie theatre on Broadway between 20th street and 64th street. And outside of midtown, I'm unhappy that CBGB's, Chicago Blues and Manny's Car Wash are gone - the latter two are now fast food restaurants.
Don't knock Applebee's, it's my end of the week watering hole.
Sales at this location probably won't effect Apple much directly, but having a Genius Bar (even if they are not labeled that any more) will support and keep Apple users in the area.
Anybody seen any activity at the Williamsburg location?
Now that Gary isn't continuing with ifoapplestore any longer I am glad Appleinsider at least is keeping us informed. I wish they would have the list of the stores in order of their opening dates. Also the world maps that show all locations instead of just the five that Apple chooses on their website.
Some people collect stamps or coins. I'm collecting Apple stores. I'm at 73 currently.