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Apple fans have room to breathe at the revamped Soho emporium, which opened on Saturday following many months of construction and enlargement. After the doors swung open at 10am, a sea of blue-shirted Apple employees cheered the first arrivals working their way up the signature glass staircase, which is now longer and grander than ever. Inside it's pretty much the same, just bigger and airier and all around Apple-ier. Folks who preferred the rustic urbanity of the temporary store down the block might be disappointed. The renovation here is classic Apple, minimal and cool in more ways than one.
The display screens are much larger and crisper, enticing shoppers with all sorts of toys and essentials. On the upper level, the wide theater—site of seminars and movie previews—welcomes with comfy seating. Display tables set with electronic goodies have replaced stacked cabinets, and everything is laid out to allow for easy product sampling.
The Genius Bar was packed, as usual, but with all the added room, there was less of the sense of crush and crowding that used to be the emblem of this popular Apple outlet. We were so entranced by it all that we forgot to check out the bathrooms, still tucked away on the second floor, so another bite of the Apple will be required.
· Little Apple Soho's Big Expansion Plans [Racked NY]
· Grand opening of Apple's SoHo store [YouTube]
· Inside Apple Soho's Raw New Temporary Space [Racked]