Fresh start
Tice's Corner returns, the Startup counter recedes.
Apple Tice’s Corner in Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey reopens on July 22 after almost six months of construction work. Apple has completely rebuilt the store — everything is new.
Not to be confused with Tysons Corner, Tice’s first opened 11 days after the launch of the original iPod. Grand opening day was many people’s first time ever seeing the device in person.
Tice’s Corner was also one of few Apple Stores to have its grand opening publicly delayed. It was originally scheduled to open alongside Apple Westfarms on October 27, 2001. MacCentral covered early Apple Retail news and reported:
An Apple spokesperson tonight confirmed for MacCentral that the Apple Store in Tice's Corner Woodcliff Lake, NJ, originally scheduled to open this weekend has been postponed.
"The Apple store at Tice's Corner Mall, Woodcliff Lake, NJ, will have its grand opening on Saturday, November 3," an Apple spokesperson told MacCentral. "This new date is more in conjunction with the openings of the Apple store's fellow tenants."
Before renovations began, Tice’s Corner was the oldest intact Apple Store location still operating. That honorable title now belongs to Apple Wellington Green, which opened on August 17, 2002.
The Startup counter recedes
Between mid-2011 and mid-2012, Apple installed built-in Startup counters at many new stores. Located along the walls between product counters and accessory shelving, Startup was a place customers could visit to set up and get familiar with their new devices.
Startup counters appeared at Apple Valencia Town Center on July 16, 2011, and with greater visibility at Apple The Americana at Brand later the same month. Apple filed for a “Startup” trademark a few months before the first counters were installed. Each counter was outfit with iMacs and stools. Above, the text “STARTUP” was set between two in-wall LCD displays.
The Startup counter era was short-lived and is little more than a footnote today. To the best of my knowledge, Apple CoolSprings Galleria (June 30, 2012) was the last location to open with a dedicated Startup space. Most earlier stores were never remodeled, and Startup was absorbed into other store services, like Online Personal Sessions. The ghost signs today dwindle, unused and forgotten.
Two of the last few Startup counter stores were Apple Pasadena and I Gigli — both under renovation right now. Many others have already been remodeled over the past few years. Here are the last 13 locations I’m able to find. Drop me a line if you think I’m missing one:
Roosevelt Field, Valencia Town Center, Fashion Place, The Promenade at Chenal, City-Galerie, Mapleview Centre, Campania, Jungfernsteig, Cielo Vista Mall, Parly 2, Valencia, Porta di Roma, CoolSprings Galleria.
Taikoo Li Chengdu
Though the store remains open, renovations are also underway at Apple Taikoo Li Chengdu in China. The store’s ground level is currently closed, and the windows are vinyl-wrapped. The scope of the changes is unclear.
Featured image
Apple Central World
Photo via @cmgs1988.