Neil Hughes
Tekserve — both an Apple reseller and a gathering place for Apple users and devotees — has announced it will close its Manhattan store in August, ending 29 years of service.
The closing of the store on West 23rd Street in Manhattan's Chelsea neighborhood will cost about 70 employees their jobs, according to The New York Times. Tekserve's service center will remain open until July 31, and its retail store will cease to be on Aug. 15.
In business since 1987, Tekserve has been at its current home at 119 West 23rd St. in the Flatiron District since June of 2002. It occupies the entire first floor of the Printing Arts Building, and has been certified for Apple product repairs since 1993.
Tekserve's store has been known for its offbeat charm, including an antique Coca-Cola machine that has traveled with the retailer as it relocated over the years. In addition to being an Apple-authorized reseller, Tekserve stores have also been a place for Apple fans to gather, offering classes and even including a museum of legacy Apple computers.
Though it has remained in business for nearly three decades, Tekserve faced a number of issues, including the sky-high price of Manhattan real estate. In addition, Apple itself has a total of six stores in Manhattan, including a nearby location in the Meatpacking District on 14th Street.
Employees were informed of Tekserve's closing on Wednesday.
"We love our customers, and we love what we do," CEO Jerry Gepner told the Times. "But there comes a point where that doesn't make sense anymore, as much as we love it."
While Tekserve will no longer have a retail presence, the company will still offer corporate sales and professional services catering to small- and medium-sized businesses.
Andrew Orr
William Gallagher
AppleInsider Staff
Malcolm Owen
Wesley Hilliard
13 Comments
This will be car dealerships in 10 years. Not just because of Apple, but also because of Apple.
This was a great store.
I got my G5 tower serviced here when I was having problems with the fans. It used to be my go-to store for Apple products back in the day.
But now that official Apple Stores are so successful and offer such great first-party service, the need for Tekserve really isn't there anymore. The official end of an era, I guess.
It's always sad to see businesses close down. I wish those employees who are losing their jobs, the very best of luck in finding new jobs. I guess some fast-food business will take over that real estate.
I loved visiting Tekserve when I lived in Manhattan. I know Mr Gepner and his team tried to re-invent the store several years ago, and you could always count on Tekserve to have Apple-related products that weren't stocked at one of the area Apple stores. Here's hoping all the employees land on their feet!
Wow! That was a historical landmark -- it was even featured prominently in an episode of "Sex and the City". The end of an era. Good luck to the employees.