Apple Has Big Plans for Fifth Avenue Store

Apple's upcoming Fifth Avenue store in midtown Manhattan promises to be first of many things, as Apple plans to make this store special, Think Secret reports.

Beside the very expensive glass cube entrance to the store that is already well known, there are other things that Apple wants to make special about this store. It seems that it will be the first Apple Store open 24 hours a day, something that has been reported by the Mac rumor sites since February. But it looks like there are talks within Apple for taking things even further, and having the store open 365 days a year as well.

Whether or not Apple will go all the way with the 365 days a year plan, it seems that at least at first they are planning to have it open at all times.

Think Secret also reports that laptops repairs will be handled directly in the store, instead of the usual Apple mail-in service, and that the store will boast an iPod Bar, which is said to have been added to the reconfigured standard layout of Apple's stores.

Last but not least, according to Think Secret sources, Apple plans to open the store with a full-sized staff, rather than gradually growing it after launch as was done with the SoHo store. It seems that the resulting hiring needs have reportedly called for "unprecedentedly-extensive training" to take the edge off much of the staff's reported inexperience.