Apple upholds the historic theater’s legacy of technological innovation with its new Tower Theatre store.
Wow. Give us a minute while we lift our jaws off the floor and register the fact that this is an Apple store. The tech giant has really outdone itself with this remarkable restoration project and will lift the curtains and begin welcoming customers into the show-stopping Tower Theatre location on Thursday, June 24, at 10 a.m.
Along with the opening of this new retail cathedral, Apple will also be launching a new initiative developed by the Today at Apple program which will provide hands-on experience and mentorship to young creatives.
In line with its global initiative, the company has taken the 1920s building (which has been vacant since 1988) and revived its elegance and grandeur with the help of top preservationists, restoration artists, and the City of Los Angeles. This historic Downtown gem was originally the city’s first theater equipped for films with sound and it was designed by the famous motion-picture theater architect S. Charles Lee in 1927. It now stands as a colossal creative hub with 100 of Apple’s 3000 employees in the region.
“At every corner, Los Angeles bursts with creativity across the arts, music, and entertainment, and we are thrilled to build on our relationship with this special city,” said Apple’s senior vice president of Retail + People, in a press release. “Apple Tower Theatre honors the rich history and legacy of this entertainment capital.”
This newly unveiled Art Deco building beams on the corner of Eighth Street and Broadway with its pristine terra cotta exterior, perfectly refurbished clock tower and beautiful stain-glass entrance with the Broadway marquee adorning a respectful Apple insignia. Inside, you’ll encounter a grand staircase with bronze handrails and giant marble Corinthian columns on either side of it.
At the center of the store, you’ll find the Forum filled with product displays to browse and an original upper-level balcony surrounding the space. On the one end of this room, there’s a large screen with seating beneath an ornate, arched bay. This is where Today at Apple will take place with free sessions providing inspiration and skills for the community. Then, on the top-level balconies, you’ll be seen for any Genius Bar appointments.
Frames, facades, finials and flourishes all gleam like they did when they were first installed almost 100 years ago, but with sleek, modern features and details that make it practical in today’s world.
Apple Tower Theatre will be open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. from Monday to Saturday, and from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday.
Location: 802 S Broadway, Los Angeles, 90014