What's the Coolest Apple Store that you've been to?

I know, they all sell the same products...but some are definitely much cooler than others. I just went to an Apple store in Holyoke, Massachusetts (not the one that I normally go to), and it looked much cooler than the one that I usually go to-it looked like a time machine or spaceship!

How about you? What's the coolest Apple Store that you've been to and why?

The one on 5th Avenue in Manhatten. There's a giant cube as the storefront with the actual store underground. Then getting down there is really cool. You either walk down a spiral staircase or ride a piston like elevator. Finally, the store is huge!! So much space to walk around, a ton of products on display, and of course, the giant Genius bar.

Lucky devils!

Apple stores are not real thick on the ground in rural Australia, and generally it is a PC shop that happens to also handle Macs. Very limited display, just one iMac and one MBP, and sales staff can tell you EVERYTHING about PC's and nothing about Macs.

Would you believe the shop owner came and got me to show him how to install the demo iMac Leopard software, and they could not get the shop Xerox Laser Printer to work until explained and showed how to install printer drivers from the bundles on the DVD.

Kash said:

The one on 5th Avenue in Manhatten. There's a giant cube as the storefront with the actual store underground. Then getting down there is really cool. You either walk down a spiral staircase or ride a piston like elevator. Finally, the store is huge!! So much space to walk around, a ton of products on display, and of course, the giant Genius bar.

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Was gonna mention that one. My friend went to NY just a few weeks ago and I saw a picture of it. He's a Mac guy too, so he was impressed at it. It looks very cool! But it does kinda make me want to throw something at it... But the wrath of the Apple scares me.

The only one I've been to was in Birmingham, Alabama and was really really cool. I'll be in the bay area in January for family stuff so I plan on going to MacWorld and checking out the Apple Store near the Moscone Center, as well.

Well, the one closest to me in the amazing town of Roseville, Minnesota, is an intense Apple Store within the midst of the mall. It has a cool looking front to the store, that is about it. Nothing special really.

I should probably mention that the one on 5th avenue is open 24 hours a day. So if you feel like playing with a Macbook Air at 4 in the morning, you have an outlet for that urge.

Kash said:

I should probably mention that the one on 5th avenue is open 24 hours a day. So if you feel like playing with a Macbook Air at 4 in the morning, you have an outlet for that urge.

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24 hours a day? Now that is cool!

Same over here in Cincinnati: it's in a mall, nothing special. I've only been there once. I've been to the one in Columbus (Easton) also. It's sort of set up like a strip mall, but not really. All stores have exterior entrances.

The one on Michigan Ave in Chicago is the best of the few I've been to. It has two floors so the store is real large. I think the second floor is glass or the stairs are glass or there is a glass floor balcony.
The ground floor is made of some special rock imported from Italy or something. I wasn't really listening to my g/f who told me about it.
I've been to a couple in the west and north suburbs as well as the one in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

The only one I have been to was when I visited my wifes family in Albany, NY. It was pretty cool, up here in ALaska we don't have any apple stores only authorized resellers.

MacBook/MacBook Pro updates pending, I'll have to check out the one at Partridge Creek mall, which is supposedly really nice.

Until then, I can't justify the drive out there, but once I get my $1800 and change together, assuming Apple makes a nice update to the MBP, I'll make the drive and come home probably $2000 lighter.

JohnTheMacGeek said:

The only one I've been to was in Birmingham, Alabama and was really really cool. I'll be in the bay area in January for family stuff so I plan on going to MacWorld and checking out the Apple Store near the Moscone Center, as well.

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I bet you will not be disappointed at the store on stockton I will go as far as to say that its better than the one of 5th ave. Sure the 5th ave store beats every other store but the one on stockton.;D

mojonandha said:

I bet you will not be disappointed at the store on stockton I will go as far as to say that its better than the one of 5th ave. Sure the 5th ave store beats every other store but the one on stockton.;D

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Now I'm really anxious!

I second (or third?) the 5th avenue store in Manhattan. Going back to the mall Apple store where I live just isn't as fun since I was in NY.

bryphotoguy said:

The one on Michigan Ave in Chicago is the best of the few I've been to. It has two floors so the store is real large. I think the second floor is glass or the stairs are glass or there is a glass floor balcony.
The ground floor is made of some special rock imported from Italy or something. I wasn't really listening to my g/f who told me about it.
I've been to a couple in the west and north suburbs as well as the one in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

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Yes, the Michigan Ave one is sweet, it's about the nicest one I've been to so far. The glass stairs are crazy, a little scary to walk up them, but it's pretty nice. The auditorium is really nice too. The balcony is crazy. It's definitely a looker.

fleurya said:

I second (or third?) the 5th avenue store in Manhattan. Going back to the mall Apple store where I live just isn't as fun since I was in NY.

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There's another one that opened in Manhattan, I think somewhere in the Meatpacking District. I hear that one is two floors, I think I'll check it out while I'm in the city tomorrow.

Anyone know of a cool one near Downtown Disney? I will be there this weekend. Leaving thursday - sunday, so maybe I can find something to do downtown.

I've only been to two. And they both sold my computer to somebody else. Needless to say, I haven't been to a "cool" Apple store as of yet.

I've been to the store in London. That was pretty groovy, with this cool glass staircase and special tutorial auditorium.

I've also been to the store in Birmingham, but there was nothing special about it other than the huge Apple logo at the front.