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Apple Store arrives at Grand Central Station

Sally Herships Nov 25, 2011

Jeremy Hobson: Rumor had it that today would be opening day for a new Apple store in the middle of one of the busiest places in America: New York City’s Grand Central Terminal. Now it appears Apple fans will have to wait a bit longer.

And as Sally Herships reports, the other retailers in Grand Central are bracing for impact.


Sally Herships: I’m standing in the middle of Grand Central Station. I’m just one of 750,000 people who pass through here everyday. On the balcony above me, there used to be a restaurant. Now there are signs that read: “Grab more than flowers on your way home.” Apple is coming, and retailers here are wondering if the new store will bring them more business or suck customers away.

Paul Nippes: I think it can’t help, but help.

Paul Nippes is an owner of Kidding Around, a toy store at Grand Central. Nippes is firmly on the pro-Apple side. His wife, Tina Clark, not so much.

Tina Clark: People are already walking through like crazy. We got lots of walkthroughs. I mean, it’s the ‘Stop please!’ that we’re looking forward to.

Down the hall and even closer to Apple’s new site is Cursive, a stationary and gift store. Elena Carey works there. She says she’s got mixed feelings.

Elena Carey: I hope people look past just Apple and they see that there are small independent shops that are owned by real human beings who live right here in New York City.

And like Cursive, some of those shops sell iPad covers.

In New York, I’m Sally Herships for Marketplace.

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