NY Apple 'Mecca' rumored to be open 24-7
April 15, 2006 11:27 AM PDT

We had really hoped to confirm recent blog reports that a massive Apple Computer store going up in midtown Manhattan, aka "Apple Mecca," will be the company's first retail outlet open 24 hours a day.

But, alas, an Apple spokesman said the company isn't ready to confirm, deny or make any official announcements about the store, so we can only offer our observations, and point to what others have written.

The store--which will reportedly be 25,000 square feet--is located in the underground retail plaza of the General Motors Building on Fifth Avenue between 58th and 59th streets, according to a February Think Secret report. Our photographer confirmed Friday that construction is well underway on a cube-shaped above-ground entrance to the building.

By all accounts, the store is supposed to open sometime in late May, and might also be the first store to feature an iPod Bar.

We were particularly impressed with the San Francisco Chronicle Culture Blog's observation that the "Mecca's" above-ground entrance "bears an uncanny resemblance to the big black Ka'bah (AKA: The House O' Abraham) to whence all Islamic pilgrims take their grueling mandatory hajj."

Makes sense, the blog adds, "because it shall be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week and hence shall be the place New Yorkers shall take a holy pilgrimage whenever they crave a new iPod Nano at 4:00 am or when they desperately need to have the Mac geeks at the Genius Bar instruct them on how to purge all the gay teen chat transcripts and German fetish porn from their iBooks before their Senate confirmation hearings."

For what it's worth, we did find Apple job postings for the Midtown store, and no mention of 24-7 work.
Posted by Michelle Meyers
[Ahmad Hajeer]

The Cube Reveals Itself

Reader Anders sent us photographs of workers busily getting the Apple Store cube at Fifth Avenue and 59th Street ready. We expect it will be ready for people to supplicate by the weekend.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
To: Apple CEO

Dear Sir,

Apple Mecca is an insult to all Muslims, we wonder why you intend to insult and irritate Muslims, we never insulted any religion, and Muslims respect all religions in the world.
Apple Computer is a worldwide company, and its opinions and actions should be separated of policy, religion, and anything that would affect its relations with its customers.
The consequences of this action might affect relations between the east and the west, and you will be responsible for any tension in our relationship.
Mecca is the place where all Muslims travel to for pilgrimage (Hajj), this is a holy place for Muslims, and we won't accept such an insult for a sacred place in our religion.
Therefore we request an apology immediately, and we request from Apple inc to change the name of this store, or else we will take the necessary steps to apply a boycott for everything related to the U.S, and this boycott will continue until you change the name of this store.

Sincerely,