Coming to The Bronx: Apple to Open First Store in the Borough

Apple is taking a bite out of The Bronx.

After years of Apple fans in The Bronx clamoring for a store in the borough, their wish seems to finally be coming true.

According to a report from 9to5Mac, Apple posted job openings for positions at an undisclosed Bronx location on Friday.

Due to the fact that the location hasn’t been disclosed by Apple as of yet, it remains yet to be a secret but it was indicated to be an 8,500 square foot space at a “significant” property.

When it comes to retail in The Bronx, there are really not that many “significant” properties that come to mind or locations we think we’d see one but the most obvious one that does pop up is The Mall at Bay Plaza.

When it comes to retail, it really is the borough’s most significant retail properties that can currently accommodate the reported square footage.

With stores like Macy’s and Swarovski calling the Mall at Bay Plaza home and now with Shake Shack having opened its first Bronx location there in the past few weeks, it’s really the most logical choice we think we’d see Apple opening up a store.

The only other “significant” property of note would be the Bronx General Post Office on the Grand Concourse at 149th Street which developers have been trying to turn into a retail destination but so far, it has been a dud with only one Zona de Cuba restaurant operating out of the roof top.

As far as commercial corridors, Fordham Road is another logical location given Fordham University being there and its rather central location (at least geographically) to the rest of The Bronx.

Meanwhile, over at The Hub at 3rd Avenue and 149th Street, there are no visible signs of construction at any of the local commercial properties.

For decades, major national retailers have kept out of The Bronx but in the past dozen or so years, they have been rapidly coming to the borough as retail rents remain relatively more affordable than other locations like Manhattan and the outer boroughs.

Of course, with a store like Apple coming to The Bronx, the conversation will inevitably turn to the topic of gentrification. When the world’s most valuable brand and company opens in Manhattan, one doesn’t really think of gentrification but when it opens in areas like The Bronx, one can’t help but wonder what it will do to already struggling retailers in our borough as a result of the shift from shoppers forgoing brick and mortar stores for shopping online like with tech giants like Amazon.

The pandemic pushed more people to shop online and many small businesses couldn’t survive without customers and having to still pay rents.

Wherever Apple opens up in The Bronx, that neighborhood will sure have some bragging rights but will their mom and pop shops be able to survive what will inevitably be rising retail rents?

For now, the true winners will be the landlords of wherever the Apple store opens up and the surrounding property owners, and of course, the Apple fans.