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Apple employees in red t-shirts greeted Betabeat as we wandered around the open air Apple store that recently appeared on Grand Central Terminal’s East Balcony. ”Hi! How are you? Hi! Can I help you?” We were there for the press sneak preview, along with dozens of other media from Gothamist to CNBC, the cameraman for which was so excited he dropped his microphone. Although the store opens Friday at 10 a.m., press were allowed to buy things. Judging by the number of iPhones out, we bet someone did, especially with all those helpful holiday Apple elves, who looked especially Christmas-y in the golden light of Grand Central.
Check out pictures of the new Apple store
The new Apple store boasts 315 employees, two Genius bars, an accessory room, six training tables, and 15-minute “express workshops.” It is one of the largest Apple stores in the world. It is the fifth Apple store in New York (Upper West Side, West Village, Soho, Fifth Ave.) and you can buy things there without talking to anyone. Bob Bridger, VP of retail, real estate and development, was almost Jobsian in his jeans and black collared shirt as he explained Apple Grand Central’s “personal pickup service,” by which customers can order and pay for something using the Apple Store App, then walk into the store and pick it up. Customers can also use their phones to buy devices without interacting with employees using the month-old EasyPay feature of the Apple Store app. This is great for holiday shopping in a rush, he noted.
We grimaced as we imagined the crush of Grand Central customers in the store will look like once it opens. Already, commuters were pausing to ask the employees who stood guard over the staircase when the store would be open, and what the hours would be. At least, the Grand Central store is infinitely more open and spacious than its cousins on Fifth Avenue, Soho, and in malls across America.
There could be drama this week beyond the usual Apple fan frenzy, though. Change.org announced a rally at the grand opening on Friday. “Apple customers will gather at the grand opening of Apple’s newest and largest location in Grand Central Terminal to call on CEO Tim Cook to commit to building an iPhone with conflict-free minerals from Eastern Congo,” announced a press release.
Check out pictures from the new Apple store in Grand Central.
Adrianne Jeffries is the editor of Betabeat. Follow Adrianne on Twitter or via RSS. ajeffries@observer.com
