In one of its most significant building restorations to date, Apple opened its newest retail location at the historic Tower Theatre in downtown Los Angeles. The store is its 26th location in greater Los Angeles.
“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 Deirdre O’Brien, Apple’s senior vice president of Retail + People. “Apple Tower Theatre honors the rich history and legacy of this entertainment capital.”
Originally home to the first theater in Los Angeles wired for film with sound, the Tower Theatre was designed in 1927 by renowned motion-picture theater architect S. Charles Lee. Upon the closing of its doors in 1988, the space has lain empty and unused. Apple collaborated with leading preservationists, restoration artists and the City of Los Angeles to preserve and restore the theater. Every surface was carefully refinished and the building has undergone a full seismic upgrade.
Apple Tower Theatre anchors the corner of Eighth Street and Broadway, where visitors will immediately recognize the fully restored clock tower, recreated Broadway marquee, clean terra cotta exterior and renovated historic blade sign. After walking through the Broadway doors, guests enter the monumental lobby inspired by Charles Garnier’s Paris Opera house, featuring a grand arched stairway with bronze handrails flanked by marble Corinthian columns.
In the heart of the store is the Forum and signature video wall, sitting underneath the fully-restored arch and surrounded by the theater’s original balconies. The Forum will be home to Today at Apple, where free daily sessions led by Apple team members and members of the local creative community teach practical skills. The expansive auditorium, surrounded by embellished arched bays and restored bronze, displays products. The theater’s original seating on the upper level has been modernized and made accessible to create an open, flexible space for Genius Bar appointments. Two new elevators have been installed in the theater.
