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.