Is it strange to feel affectionate towards a shopping mall? While I didn't visit Park City in Lancaster, PA as a kid, I still have a sense of it being "my mall" -- my wife grew up in Lancaster, and I think over the years I've absorbed some of her connection to the place. Retail nostalgia by spousal proxy? I'll have to check for that in the DSM-IV.
Now, with confirmation that an Apple Store is heading for Park City (initially reported by ifoAppleStore in April), I'm struck by this odd sense of pride mixed with relief. Pride, because my adopted mall is getting its own Apple Store at last; relief, because now I can dispatch my father-in-law somewhere closer to home when he needs hardware help. Maybe I should visit the Genius Bar there and leave them a photograph and an system profile, just in case.
LancasterOnline.com reports that the store will occupy a 4,900-square-foot slot in the mall, and it's expected to open by late October 2008. I hope that the presence of the new store will validate and enhance business at Lancaster's indie Mac dealership Macheads, but I fear that they may find business slipping over to the new shop over time.
Thanks, CR!
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
5-30-2008 @ 12:29PM
Greg Paradee said...
But when will they actually put one in the city of brotherly love?
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5-30-2008 @ 12:48PM
FezMan88 said...
Eh, i used to think that, but there is one in Ardmore, a few miles up Lancaster Ave.
And i work at the KOP one, living in the University City district at the same time.
5-30-2008 @ 2:30PM
Enrique said...
I agree - I think I am contractually obligated to mention the lack of Philadelphia Apple Store whenever one of these posts goes up.
Getting out to KOP or Marlton, NJ is annoying, time-consuming, and expensive (thanks $4.39 gas...). Put one on Walnut St in Center City and Mayor Nutter wouldn't have to sit outside an ATT store for a 3G iPhone like John Street had to - as Steve Jobs would say BOOM!
5-30-2008 @ 12:36PM
Agent_B9 said...
Great now Amish can buy Apples somewhere other than the Farmer's Market.
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5-30-2008 @ 12:47PM
FezMan88 said...
Agreed, all farms need a mac
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5-30-2008 @ 12:50PM
Francesco Caporusso said...
My wife is also from this area and I've spent many an afternoon wandering around Park City. It is the only mall I've been to that has a hitching post outside.
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5-30-2008 @ 12:56PM
Dah Cheet said...
This is great for me. I live in Harrisburg, PA and the closest Apple store for me is in Townson, Maryland, which is almost two hours away. As long as there isn't much traffic, it'll cut my commute to an Apple store in half. Hooray!
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5-30-2008 @ 10:34PM
Adam Erickson said...
If you're in Harrisburg...isn't Allentown only about an hour away? Lehigh Valley Mall has a store.
5-30-2008 @ 12:58PM
Chris Coleman said...
Park City is a decent mall (the only good one in the area), but if you ever go there, prepared to get lost. It's laid out like a wheel, with the corridors going down each of the "spokes." I lived nearby for three years, and I'd have to look at the directory every time I went there because there's no other way to get your bearings, unless you come in the same entrance every time and go for the same store every time. It's really awkward.
That said, it's much needed in that area. Right now, if you want to go to an Apple Store, you're stuck driving an hour and a half to King of Prussia or Baltimore.
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5-30-2008 @ 3:25PM
chris fitzgerald said...
Park city is one of the easiest malls to navigate. King of Prussia on the other hand is a cluster F*ck to say the least. It looks nice, but the letters on the directory are confusing seeing as the directory is rotated to where your standing so you cant match it up right.
5-30-2008 @ 7:51PM
Speddy said...
I hate getting to KOP too. I've found Lehigh Valley Mall easier to get to. Then there is Bridgewater (a hike but a client is on the way there so..). On the eastern end, i can also get to Freehold Raceway mall. Cherryhill and Marlton are too south unless, again, I am at a client near there.
Just disappointed that Apple is not near Newtown, Newhope or Bucks. Guess Mac outfitters has some issue if Apple were to put a store, say, in Warrington or Doylestown.
5-30-2008 @ 12:59PM
Christopher Wallace said...
What. A. Boring. And. Pointless. Article. That. Isn't. Even. News. (Yet again).
Apart from the occasional interesting erica-iphone-post, is there ever anything here that isn't tedious or just syndicated from another tech/mac site?
Time to remove tuaw from google reader I think.
Reply
5-30-2008 @ 1:07PM
Scott said...
Good riddens! The blog doesn't need any more readers who clutter up comments with whining about how there's nothing worth reading in TUAW anymore.
5-30-2008 @ 2:01PM
Icelander said...
It's not boring and pointless to me. I live in Lancaster, and have applied for a Mac Genius job there.
I'm a web developer who will probably have to start using Windows in a couple weeks. Working there will be the only thing that keeps me sane!
5-30-2008 @ 2:05PM
Mark H. said...
If its such drivel then why do you go out of your way to complain? Just shut up and move along.
5-30-2008 @ 1:12PM
itguy07 said...
About f-ing time us here in Pennsyltuckey get an Apple store.
Should be a welcome addition and a place for me to go make my credit card smile! :)
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5-30-2008 @ 1:13PM
MRCUR said...
I'm very glad to finally have a local Apple Store! I've had to go to the King of Prussia store for any service.
I might think of applying there once it gets closer to opening time. I'd absolutely love to work there.
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5-30-2008 @ 1:19PM
skivolklv11 said...
I live in Lancaster and I am quite happy to hear this is official. Craigslist has had a job posting for Apple Store employees at Park City for awhile now. I have used the MacHeads shop that Michael refers to several times in the past for service and support and I hope they will be able to stay open. They do good work and they have a nice store, albeit a bit on the small side.
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5-30-2008 @ 2:15PM
MRCUR said...
I absolutely hate Mac Heads. I've never had good customer service from them, nor have they even tried to fix problems that I've had.
I ended up having to replace a part myself because they didn't feel the need to do proper testing or troubleshooting.
6-01-2008 @ 4:03PM
Tbonemth said...
Any info on that craigslist post?
I wasnt able to find it.
Thanks