While we've previously reported that Apple is trying to make a store at Grand Central Terminal, a Cultofmac report claims that the yet to be made Apple store may be the company's largest retail store to date, ahead of the Covent Garden Apple Store which is spread across 40,000 square feet and up to four stories. More on that, after the break.
The store will open in the fall, likely early September — and it will be Apple’s largest retail space in the world.
The store already has a name: Apple Store, Grand Central, according to a source close the company. The source said Apple will be making an internal announcement within the next month or so.
The company will certainly pull out all the stops on this one, said the source, who asked not to be named.
The source also indicates that this year is the 10th anniversary of Apple retail, so it seems like Apple wants to make a big splash, and what better way to do so, other than constructing a shrine of high tech gadgets in the middle of one of the most busiest terminals found on the planet.
Reportedly, the Apple Store, Grand Central, will be the largest in the world. It will be bigger than the Apple Store in Covent Garden, London, currently Apple’s largest retail location. The Covent Garden store is about 40,000 square feet over four stories, but only 16,372 square feet is public.
However, finding that big a space inside Grand Central could prove to be a bit difficult. Refer to the Grand Central floor plan attached below for insights on the area possibly available to Apple.
The terminal is home to more than 100 retail locations, spread across three levels and 130,000 square feet. Most average between 1,000 and 6,000 square feet. One of the largest stores is Rite Aid at 10,000 square feet, followed by Kenneth Cole, which has about 8,500 square feet next to the iconic Vanderbilt Hall.
So yes, finding space to top off the Covent Garden Apple Store is indeed going to be difficult, however, something rather interesting has caught our eye.
Our source suggested that Apple may be taking walls down — but didn’t elaborate.
Looks like Apple is not kidding about making its largest retail store inside Grand Central Terminal, so much so that it will even resort to demolition, albeit legally, to make sufficient space for its new store.
Stay tuned as we shall definitely report once new updates come in.