The 900-seat theatre was the first in LA to be wired for talkies, and it hosted the premiere of "The Jazz Singer" the same year. It wasn't for nothing that it was the city's first air-conditioned theatre. Apple Tower Theatre is the company's 26th location in Los Angeles. Moving into a 94-year-old theatre, on the other hand, clearly takes more effort than, say, a retail mall. The store has been in the works for a long time, partly due to the need to work with the city to rehabilitate a site that had been designated as a landmark.
The facility, according to a 2018 LA Times storey, “may also act as a signal that Apple intends to compete as a big Hollywood content creator.” In retrospect, that seems reasonable. Late the next year, Apple TV+ was released. The theatre has been mostly vacant since 1988, which meant that even more work had to be done to shine up the walls and make the great old theatre presentable for that modern retail atmosphere — not to mention a seismic update to help make it more earthquake safe.
The business also mentions that some of the space's more recognisable aspects were preserved. Apple writes, "The fully restored clock tower, recreated Broadway marquee, clean terra cotta exterior, and renovated historic blade sign anchor the corner of Eighth Street and Broadway, where visitors will immediately recognise the fully restored clock tower, recreated Broadway marquee, clean terra cotta exterior, and renovated historic blade sign." “Guests enter the magnificent lobby inspired by Charles Garnier's Paris Opera House, which has a grand arched stairway with bronze railings surrounded by marble Corinthian columns after passing through the Broadway doors.”
The debut of Apple's new Creative Studios programme coincides with the store's opening. The initiative will be initially implemented in the Los Angeles shop and a site in Beijing. It will initially run for eight to twelve weeks and provide a group of mentors from the creative arts.
In a news statement, SVP Deirdre O'Brien said, "Creativity and access to education are key principles for Apple, so we are very delighted to begin off today at Apple Creative Studios in Los Angeles and Beijing, and to expand this valuable initiative to many additional locations this year." “Creative Studios is another way we're giving free arts education to people who need it most, building on our long tradition of using shops as a forum to showcase local artists to educate and inspire.”
Last week, Google launched its first retail store in Manhattan’s Chelsea district. The Apple Tower Theatre location opens at 10 a.m. local time on Thursday, June 24. The company says it’s employing nearly 100 to keep the store running.
