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Chicago (Red)
Mon-Sat. 10:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Sun. 11:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
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This store is like....the future. At your fingertips.....
Everyone knows how cool Apple stores are....but here is what really gets me: No waiting in line to check out! That's right....just snag a sales associate, tell them what you want, and when they bring it to you they will ring you up with their little handheld futuristic device right there in the middle of the store. Great feature! Saves time + looks cool!
The Apple store definitely knows how to serve the busy bees of Chicago....viva la Apple!
Ok, so let's just say....fragile-like electrical equipment and I...well, we don't get along so well.
Probably because I'm abusive. It's not that I don't care, it's just that I don't care enough to take care of them. It's a vicious cycle.
I had an iPod once, I smushed it in my purse.
Cameras? Generally scratched or cracked.
Cell phone: Looks like it went through battle. (taped pieces and all!)
I have Macs for work...I'm on Mac #3.
So, I vowed that Mac #3 and I were going to be life partners, and I am trying to keep that promise.
THEN, it ate a DVD...and would not release it! I even googled "help me eject a disk." It just sputtered and refused to cough it up. JERK! I've been taking care of you and not dropping you on the ground, or in puddles....or throwing you on the bed. AND this is how you repay me!? At least the other equipment respected me.
Yeah, ok. I'm talking to the Mac like its a person. But, I think all Mac people do that. It's a thing. Just hang out in the store for awhile, you'll see what I'm talking about...
Anyway, I all begrudgingly hauled myself and petulant Macbook downtown to the Mac store, fully expecting to want to rampage on all the cute little stuff that this shelter o' yuppie holds. Not the case, I'm here to say. Not the case.
1. Go upstairs for repairs. (it even rhymes)
2. Check in with concierge (orange shirts). I encourage an appointment, I did not have one, but they squeezed me in.
3. AND...of all the blessings in the world, I was met with a smiley yelper friend to help me. The infamous Noah B...! http://www.yelp.com/us...
4. Noah checked out the brat machine, and decided it needed a new "superdrive" to eject DVDs/CDs, etc.
5. He ordered the part, gave me a sheet of paper, and said they'd email when it was in.
6. 2 days later...DING, email.
7. I bring in machine at noon, it's done by 6pm.
8. I officially love the Apple Store, Noah B, the Mac again, and my life.
I mean, really. I couldn't even have dreamed of a smoother transaction.
Thanks, Noah. :)
I love this place. But I also love all things Mac and Apple because they're obviously superior and yes, I am an elitist.
So, I ran in here on my lunch break to get the future love of my life, an iPod Touch. The helpful salesperson told me they were out of stock. As I turned to go, heartbroken, she said "Wait! Let me go check and make sure about that." So she left and quickly returned to tell me that there was a shipment that had JUST come in and if I could wait 10 minutes, she'd have one for me. She rushed back in more like 5 minutes, with exactly what I wanted. She did not hustle me to buy a more expensive one, and didn't even hustle me about buying Apple Care! Just asked once, I said no, and that was that. Also I love their portable checkout machines. She rang me up right there on the floor next to the display laptops, and I was out the door.
I love their customer service; it's not only thoughtful and friendly, it's innovative, and that's rare.
Yeah this was one of the first stores I reviewed on yelp and now I'm a converted mac user that is used to the keyboards now. I've used the genius bar and it's highly efficient and helpful, just make sure you make an appointment before you visit.
Apple is the bomb right now. Hands down.
OK first if all, let me say that I hate Macs. But since I think I should be unbiased in this review,… Read more »
I am sitting, whilst watching the Bears half game show, with something I have been waiting for three years on my lap. Three freakin' years. I am excited and nervous to have something like this on my lap. Its my new Mac Pro Laptop. What? You were thinking something... or someone else? Um.. get your mind out of the gutter... thanks.
When I got my first laptop three years ago, I was regretful. I had gotten a PC. Not that they are bad computers, but I seriously had in my mind, fixated in my mind. obsessing in my mind about getting a Mac. A simple laptop. That is all I will need. But no. The price steered me to a PC. Then came all the add ons. Virus protection. Spyware protection. This protection. That protection. Really. Seriously? Ridiculous.
I feel vindicated. My previous laptop started to sputter. Slow... down... to levels that made me want to drop an elbow from the top rope like the "Macho Man Randy Savage... Ohhhh YEAH!!!"
Excuse me. I got excited for a second.
So when I came in yesterday, I was on a mission. No more PC's. None. Not a chance. I was coming all the way down to Michigan Ave, an area I rarely ever venture, to seek redemption. To get the computer I had longed for for all these years. I got it. The staff was friendly. Wanting not to set me up with the highest price computer, in fact, suggested I get the lower priced version, but I resisted. I said no. I said this lil' guy... this one is mine. Yes, you do pay a bit more. Yes, by a bit more you pay a bank load more. However, by the end of paying for all the virus scans, the spyware, this and that, I really didn't save that much. I know I might have saved much in terms of frustration and annoyance, but let us give some time for my new friend, my new toy to get together and know each other.
Not like Lucas, no... he was making sure that me and my new buddy are perfect for each other. That we will mesh together like old friends, like no time has passed, but that new exciting features and adventures are coming our way. The rest of the staff, friendly... like over friendly. Like in the way you look at them and go..."Really? You are that happy working here?" friendly. Its okay. It makes me happy that I threw down a chunk o' change for my new unnamed buddy.
Can i tell you how happy I am looking forward to seeing what the future holds? Who knows?! I do know, I will never have to deal with Microsoft Windows version whatever updates that screw me over like a por.... well in a way I won't like. Plus with the one on one package I bought... I have some one on one time to get to know good ol' Herbert... I mean Brock... I mean... I can learn all that I need to know to bond with my laptop.
Fun times are ahead, and I can't wait to see them unfold.
I'm going to get grief from this, but I don't mind.
I've been to this Apple Store at least a half dozen times. Three of those times were for ordering a computer for myself or with friends. Everyone is genuinely very helpful and very nice. They are very knowledgeable and definitely enjoy their work. The Apple Theater shows free tutorials about their software, which is a great way to learn the little tricks. The showroom is truly a treat -- you can play with ALL their equipment.
But such greatness comes with a price. They're not deal breakers, but suffice it to say that my Apple shopping is limited to computer equipment. It should go with saying that I've been an Mac user since 1991 when I played with an LC at the local library. Since then I've owned four laptops and bought a LOT of equipment for my workplace.
My PowerBook G4 was a travesty. It was the first generation of the new aluminum 15" body (word to the wise: Wait for the next revision of any Apple product). At $2,500 as a student, this was a necessity and a beast of a price to pay. And for that I get a warped keyboard. I went to the store several times -- no one could see that the keys were not on straight. On a $2,500 laptop. It's like bad fit-and-finish on a BMW.
Even to the later generations, the purchasing experience isn't perfect. The last person I visited with was my 84-year old friend who was interested in a laptop. The MacBook would've been perfect, except for the 1440x900 13" screen. I can't even see that. So, the least expensive laptop this guy could get was a $2,500 MacBook Pro. For an 84-year old man. The res is great for us whipper snappers, but no other option for lower-res. I have to turn the res down for this guy which makes the type fuzzy and hard to read. Sorta defeats the purpose.
And my favorite part: Service and support. When I had a problem with my PowerBook G4 I was on the phone more than 1-1/2 hours for screen issues and the keyboard problem I mentioned above. And scheduling time in the Genius Bar is a joke. Coming from nearly 20 years as an Apple user, having the independent shops were GREAT because they were very accessible. I know what service CAN be.
Apple service is not designed for people who actually work for a living. My PowerBook G4 died after 5 years. I called to make an appointment (mind you, this is my main machine, a machine I do work with for a living). I could only get a 5:15p appointment for the following day. I get there, thinking I had a 5:15p appointment but wasn't seen until 6p. I got the answers I needed, but why have a scheduling system if it doesn't work.
All that said, I love my Mac. And I will likely get another one when this one dies. But my faith in the company has slid more and more the bigger they get. You will pay a premium for a fantastic, (mostly) well-built machine that will serve you for years. My current MacBook Pro is the best-built machine I've ever had from Apple. Just hope it stays that way for a while.
This review is for the store, not for Apple. The store is great and the staff has always been extremely helpful. 3 years ago, Apple themselves would have gotten 5 stars from me, now maybe 4 because of their bad move on AT&T as their cell provider and a really odd experience of buying a MacBook Pro and having to go through 4 of them in the first week till I got one that actually worked. Again, the staff was very helpful on that latter issue at the store and I thank them for their understanding and not doing what so many other stores would do and say "hey, call tech support."
Burned by the hipster elite. Try to follow along, as this is very complicated...
1:31 pm CDT: Call Apple store. Wait on hold for 20 minutes. Plenty of iPhone 3GS' left.
7:08 pm CDT: Call Apple store again. No hold time. Ask if they think they will have iPhones available if I stop in in 45 minutes. They say they have plenty.
7:52 pm CDT: Arrive at Apple store to a line outside. At the end of the line is an employee in trademark oversized orange t-shirt who tells me no one else can get an iPhone this evening. They are out after the last person in line.
8:42 pm CDT: Return home with Trader Joe's fruit floes (popsicles). Log onto yelp. Drop 1 bomb on Apple store for lying on the phone.
9:01 pm CDT: Take dog for walk. Yes, I am from the future.
Alright, I'll give it to them for doing a good job of handling the shit ton of customers that come… Read more »
My iphone would not turn on so I called support and they told me to go into a store. The store was packed and lines were large. I was on time and was talking to a specialist about 15 minutes after my scheduled time which was not bad based on how busy it was. They looked at my phone and found it was a hardware issue. He helped me transfer information and I left with a new working phone with all my contacts, applications and music. I was expecting more of a hassle so I was pleasantly surprised.
I could live at the Apple Store. It is the perfect super chic futurist loft. I love the bar themed set up for tech support. I would say they need to serve drinks to ease the pain of miserable computer repairs, but I have yet to need one since all my Genius Bar experiences have been great.
The following is what makes the Genius bar so darn awesome:
You can make an appointment online.
I have always had quick appointments lasting less than a 1/2 hour.
I have never had to pay for any repairs (although this is pure luck since I am out of warranty)
Every "genius" I have had has been extremely friendly, ultra computer nerdy, and helpful
Usually they fix my computer while I wait or it is done in 24hours
I am indeed a fan.
I stepped in here for my first visit yesterday evening, and I really have to say I was really happy with my experience. Actually I've been pretty happy in all my dealings with Apple in general so far since I got my new ipod nano last week, and the thing decided all of a sudden to stop working.
I liked how they have the genius bar set up, A person greets you, asks your name, checks your appointment and lets you know when your due up. When it is your turn, they introduce you to the person who is working with you, It's all very straightforward and to the point, without being rude, or condescending, and they all actually have very pleasant attitudes, which I don't think I could manage if I had to deal with grumpy people who have computer problems all day. My appointment lasted less that 15 minutes and will be picking up a new ipod in the next couple of days, because I brought a bad one (Just my luck grrr)
My experiences with apple so far have been so pleasant that I'm actually considering a Mac as my next computer, which will most likely happen sometime next year considering this one is four years old now and on its last legs. I've just been that impressed with their level of customer service. If I do end up buying a Mac, I will do so here.
This review is of Apple's Genius Bar.
I have to admit, I don't think I'm smart enough to own my Mac. I probably know how to use 45% of it's features and even that amount is due to my brother in-law who talked me into getting a Mac and set it up for me. Also If it wasn't for the great rating Consumer Report gave MacBooks two years ago, I probably would have stayed with a PC. Okay that is not entirely true. Lets be honest, MacBooks look super cute. Yes, I am admitting to having spent well over $1000 on a laptop based on it looking cute. But that is neither here nor there.
With my MacBook purchase I also bought the Apple Care plan which grants the owner free maintenance (with in limits) should anything go wrong with their beloved computer. And this being a product of Steve Jobs, something is going to go wrong. In my case, it was a defective camera, an issues with my optical drive read, and a chipped top case. (that is from the nice summary of "Here's what we did" on the receipt.) Because all of these were covered under my Apple Care plan, I spent nothing. Well that is if you're not placing a monetary value on time.
Five days prior to receiving a call that my MacBook was indeed ready for pick up, I made a reservation to see a Genius Bar representative. I was extremely skeptical of the Genius Bar due to a previous visit there with a friend who's hard drive was acting flaky. I found that "Genius" sort of condescending and rude. (Picture an emo version of the Nick Burns "Your company's computer guy" from SNL...."I suppose you didn't back this up?...MOVE.") The Genius representative who helped me was the antithesis of Nick Burns. She was patient, explained the issue, and didn't make me feel stupid. She also spent close to two hours with me, examining the said problems and explaining why it might be occurring. It was surprisingly a pleasant experience which lowered my anxiety about leaving my lap top for a week to be fixed. They anticipated it would be at least one week to be fixed but I received a call Friday morning that it was ready to be picked up. (My trip to the Genius Bar was Monday evening.) This trip to the Genius Bar not only got my Mac running more efficiently, but it raised my MacBook knowledge from 45% to, wait for it, 50%. And that is priceless.
I needed to get my wireless "mighty" mouse's scroll looked at. Went in, told "Dreads" my problem. He quickly gave me his diagnosis and treatment: clean the scroll. Oops, that's embarrassing.
This place was packed at 3pm, on a Thursday. Nevertheless they are much more efficient than Skokie's branch, where they require customers to fill out a half-sheet questionnaire before allowing purchases, questions, or even looking at workers. And Skokie has a fourth of downtown's crowd.
It's very hard for me to rate this store because it is a nice store. The salespeople are available, but not pushy. I would give this store 5 stars based on the store itself, but there is something about Apple itself that I think I should share with others.
Over the course of a few months, my iMac would stop breathing (aka shut itself down) and this started to occur more and more frequently. I made an appointment at the Genius Bar to have it examined. Unfortunately for me, I did not purchase the Apple Care plan (even though it's kind of expensive, it's worth buying). Upon first inspection, the Genius behind the bar concluded that it needed a new motherboard and that it would cost around $1300 to replace. I gasped.
Well, it must have been my lucky day, because the particular Genius who was helping me said that it was his last week working for the Apple Store and wanted to "go out with a bang" and with that, he informed me, after checking my iMac's serial number, that my computer was marked for recall. There were a whole lot of iMacs built during the same time that had faulty motherboards. So here is a very interesting little tid-bit I learned from the Genius who "went out with a bang": when an Apple product has been recalled, they are not entitled to tell you, nor make it easy for you to find out about it. You have to dig through their website to find recalls. You can find this by entering your serial number. Even if you take your sickly computer to the Genius Bar and they see that it is a recalled product, they will not tell you. You must already know this information when you take it in.
In the end, I lucked out big time. They took my iMac for about a week. They replaced the motherboard for free.
I'm very grateful for the Genius Nice Guy who did the right thing.
My overall experience at this Apple Store has been great. I'm not pleased with Apple's shady practices, but, I am pleased that I now know this and that I can share this info with all of you.
I've come here a few times to inquire about ipods-The staff is always knowledgable and friendly. I recently made an appt at the genius bar for my mom's ipod touch that was on the fritz, they took me promptly and did a little troubleshooting and low and behold i ended up with a brand new ipod. Can't beat that. Fast and Efficient. Also the store is immaculately clean.
I love the Apple Store but I hate the Apple Store "customers" (and I use that term loosely). But I love the store so much they still get 5 stars because you can't blame the store for being so awesome that everyone wants to get in on the action. I get it, really. The appeal of the store is that you can play with all the gadgets and test just about every product they sell. Typically this would be awesome except for the idiotic customers that don't really come here to buy anything. They come to the Apple Store and treat it like an internet cafe bringing their dogs, lattes, and Chanel bags while they use a 24 inch cinema display iMac to check their email before heading back out to Michigan Ave. And because this store is on Michigan Ave it is probably one of the worst offenders. I've been in Apple Stores all over the place, including NYC, and none of them are as chaotic as Chicago. If you're reading this right now and suddenly realized that you're guilty of this, please stop immediately. I know Apple products are awesome. I know you want one even though you can't afford it so you think that by stopping in at the store to visit your favorite iMac, iPhone, iPod, or iWhatever that you can get a quick fix. But you are seriously annoying the piss out of everyone else that has a legitimate reason for being there. Oh and FYI, I can guarantee that the teenage hipsters that work there are not impressed by your knowledge of computers so stop sucking up their time with your inane rambling while you're wife is shopping for furs next door. Mmmkay?
Okay now that I got that out of my system I can tell you that the 5-star rating is for the Genius Bar. I haven't been there many times for that purpose because Apple products are awesome and I've had minimal problems. But I stopped in mid-afternoon on a Monday without an appointment hoping it wouldn't be busy. I was wrong. Total chaos as usual. Even though the screens above the Genius Bar said there were no more appointments available that day a very kind, Apple soul snuck me in line. 10 minutes later I was out the door with a brand new replacement for a defective iPhone 3GS.
Sometimes I wonder if the Apple store is actually in the data deletion business.
I made a mistake by coming here the weekend before Christmas, when 1/4 of Wisconsin and Indiana migrated to Michigan Avenue to do some holiday shopping. Holy cats was it frightening.
But other than the lady who thought that her giant and heinous handbag needed more space to look at MacBooks than I did, it was great. Though crowded, I was in and out in less than 15 minutes with a new laptop. Yay.
I am, however, tempted to remove another star due to the DJ. SO FUCKING LOUD that I could barely think, and songs that I would never choose to listen to, let alone at that deafening volume. It was like being a Dinosaur Jr. show, and those old dudes are LOUD (and I actually want to listen to them)
This is by far my favorite Apple store in the whole entire universe (just in case there's Apple stores on other planets). I've bought both my iPhone and my Macbook from this particular store. The staff is spectacular. I love walking up the staircase. It makes me feel special.
Now cut to the ultra creepy part. There's a guy that works here who is so cute. Not like "Oh! Yeah! Let's do it! cute, but more like "Aww! I want to keep him!" cute. I'm mean I'm sure many ladies and gents find him "Let's do it!" cute, but that's just not the situation for me. Does that make me less creepy? Anyway, +1 star for him.
Such a pretty store! The people who work there are incredibly nice and helpful, the stuff is typically overpriced but still awesome. All in all, love it.
Do you remember when Tickle Me Elmo took the world by storm (more like a Category 5 Hurricane) in the 1990's? There were mobs of parents that should've been charged with aggravated assault after breaking down the doors of Wal-Mart to get a stuffed animal that simply freakin' giggles. Well, the iPhone is the adult version of Tamagotchis. Only more flashy, useful, and lower maintenance (Tamagotchis had lifespans of one day under a 2nd grader's care).
I assumed the launch of the iPhone 3G S meant two-block plus long lines at Apple stores like last year. Not this time. Apple was surprisingly efficient. Many customers pre-ordered or reserved online in advance, thus Apple and AT&T were able to get an estimate amount of phones to ship to stores. I arrived at 6:40AM, waited 15 minutes before being guided to the reserved line (which was much, much shorter than the nonreserved). Every five to ten minutes, a small handful of customers were allowed into the store. This kept the flow very steady, store less crowded, and everything organized overall. There were more than enough employees on launch day as well. Most of them aren't employees of the store, but activation contractors from who-knows-where. Anyway, I met a said contractor (who eerily resembled Zack Galifianakis, but with dreads), got my iPhone and left. In and out in less than 20 minutes. I, and the rest of Chicago, have spent longer waiting at self-check out lines at Jewel.
Launch day was a success, for me at least. I got my gadget (there's a phone function somewhere among the Bubble Wrap and I Can Has Cheezburger apps... I think) with minimal wait. I am in the wonderful state of temporary materialistic happiness.
PS: I will admit to the felonious crimes of stopping by and charging my iPod battery at this and other Apple stores.
Walked in, asked where the power cords were, bought one and checked out very quickly. Loved that my receipt could get emailed to me.
Back story--all in the same weekend, my power cord decided it was done working and both my phone and laptop lost all of my contacts. This puts one on the verge of a mental breakdown and the easiest problem to solve was to buy a new power cord. Somehow, the contacts magically reappeared.
Later, as my phone was dying and one of my best friends was arriving from out of town, I went back to the Apple store, where they let me dock my iPhone to charge it and make a phone call. How can you not appreciate that??
After my iPhone rendered itself a "crack addict" by taking it upon itself to leap and somersault off of my 30" high desk at 3 AM, I had to visit the mothership.
I will say that it was definitely one of the least crazy Apple Stores I've been to, but I don't know if it was because it was just the crappy Chicago version or if it was because it was managed well.
I hate Chicago. It caused me to fall back in love with NYC. Thanks.
Their classes are great! I was unsure about committing to an iPod so I sat in on a iTunes/iPod class they happened to be having and the nice gentleman led everyone through each step in a new user's life...which of course totally convinced me.
And, side note, I love that you email me my iTunes receipts!
This review is based solely on the experience and customer service I received here.
My company's Annual Meeting is fast approaching and we were still in need of a couple of last minute give away items for attendees. We decided it would be great to give away a couple of the 2nd generation iPod Touches. I called the store and spoke with Justin. He was very nice and accommodating. I explained to him what I wanted and what I needed them for. He let me know that I could put the item on hold and set up and "appointment" to pick up and pay for the item the next morning. They even worked with my company's tax exempt status!
All sounds great so far huh? Well my "appointment" was at 9 am and I arrived around 8:45 am. A little earlier than expected but I didn't know how traffic was going to be. However, here is where they fail. I was told my 9 am appointment before the store opened to the public at 10 am wouldn't be a problem but when I got there the doors were locked and no one would even look at me when I knocked on the door.
Finally about 10 minutes later one of the Apple employees opened the door and asked if I needed anything. Well duh?! There were also other people there with appointments as early as mine I must have just missed the doors being opened for them. Either way they let me in and I spoke with Jason again. He rang me up and told me about a promotion that they were having that was specific to my organization. I thanked him and was on my merry way.
So why does this warrant three stars you ask? Well if you are going to offer such a great service and let us come in early by appointment. Shouldn't you have a way of letting customers in early with out making them stand out front for 10-15 minutes? Also getting through on the phone was like pulling teeth. I just wanted a couple iPod Touches but I felt like they wanted my first born child as well.
Oh, Apple, how I love you.
You snuck me into your Genius Bar despite being booked 'till the morrow.
You saved my dying first generation iPod.
Now I can work out... and write... and dance and sing my little heart out. Again.
Thank you, for appreciating my steadfast loyalty, in the form of $3500 in Apple bucks over the past three years.
And for never allowing me to catch a virus. Even when I ignorantly stole music from Limewire, my PowerBook remained healthy.
You're the one.
Incredible. I've never seen a store run this smart, efficient, and full of smiles. I know that sounds cheesy and ridiculous, but it's completely true.
After I found my cat's teeth marks halfway through my laptop cord I was off to the Apple Store. Parking was horrible unless I wanted to pay big bucks, but that's not a surprise since this is after all, Chicago.
Briefly after entering I was greeted by a guy who was the answer to my laptop madness. He took me straight to what I needed and handed me the exact cord I was looking for. After asking if I needed anything else, which I replied no. He said I didn't have to wait in line he could check me out on the spot. Though that sounded naughty, it was far from it. He pulled out a handheld computer, scanned my item, and told me my total. I handed him my credit card and he swiped it on the same machine and handed the card back. Then it got even better, he asked if I wanted my receipt in hand, emailed to me, or both. I said email, (no need to waste paper) so he had me sign said machine, put my cord in a bag and I was on my way.
Before I could make it out the door my blackberry let me know I had a new email, and sure enough it was my receipt.
This was by far my fastest, easiest, and cheapest trip to the Apple store. With customer service like that they know I'll be a loyal customer so there's no need to leave me circling the store in hopes that I would spend more money.
This specific apple store is shopping legendary!
Man when you walk into this joint the first thig you think is "Wow". Its where being a complete geek is acutally very cool.
I want a t-shirt. How the heck do I get one of those??
I'm throwing 5 stars down on this place because the guy at the iPod Bar was really nice when it turned out my iPod was not broken at all, just out of battery power.
Seriously, my fucking dumbass self deserved to be helped by a condescending prick.
I was in an online video chat room the other weekend, and like a total ditz, I jumped on the bed with a home made martini and tipped it into my Macbook Air - pffft!
Oh no no... NO!!!
The trouble was, it was getting to be early evening on a Saturday night, and I was already feeling kinda drunk. I wanted to get back into that chat room, so what did I do? I headed straight up the street to the Apple Store. I may have stumbled a little on my way in, but who doesn't wearing what I was wearing, feeling what I was feeling? And was I treated well by the staff? Well, I pulled up to the Genius bar because I could stop swaying about and actually sit. Only now do I realize what I was doing was messing with someone else's actual laptop, instead of a new one from the store. Yes, I was knackered enough to make a complete ass of myself.
But!
I totally know what I'm doing around computers. Even if I'm a bit smashed, I can recite silly stats, and numbers just roll off my tongue like sarcastic lashings at unsuspecting young computer noobs who try to sell me stuff that I really don't need. I have to hand it to them though. They finally got around to luring me away from the Genius bar, and they took me downstairs to where the new machines were. I ended up talking shop to a sales woman who impressed me with her sense for what I really needed, not just what I would have wanted. I'll get another Macbook Air later, when the next model comes out in a couple of months.
I just wanted a replacement Macbook - and I wanted one right now! I don't need to buy the Pro on this trip... and she totally got that! How cool! I mean, Macs are easy enough to sell that they practically sell themselves. Gestures rule. All she has to know are the feature differences and the specs differences and rattle them off so I can say "I don't need all that power to surf the bloody Web!" I walked out the store, totally satisfied that I made an excellent choice (if a little embarrassed that I acted like a drunken bitch), and happy they didn't take advantage of me, (or treat me like the drunken troll I was at the time).
Yay! I'm a fan!
Of the two Apple Stores I've been to in the Chicago area, this is the better one. Sure, it gets crazy busy, but the people who work here are really nice and helpful.
I was upgrading my operating system to OSX 10.5 about a year ago and I had a crap load of questions. I wanted to fire 10.5 off of a separate drive and not wipe out 10.3.9. I'd never done this before and the guy I talked to was extremely helpful. I wish I remembered his name, because I'd recommend talking to him about OSX related stuff.
The best part is, I stumped him. I asked him a question he couldn't answer. Here's where good customer service comes in. He didn't lie to me, he didn't guess, he flat out said "you know what, I don't know the answer to that. Let me ask someone who would and I'll be right back." A few minutes later, he came back with another clerk who not only had the answer, he took the time to write down detailed instructions. That's quality.
Four stars for helpful customer service, -1 star for being located in tourist hell.
iReview...
Whenever iGo to the Apple Store the first thing iDo when iArrive is iWalk up the stairs to see if there's a training workshop going on that iMight be interested in.
When iPurchased my first iPod and, subsequently, my MacBook, iWent to the Apple Store on Michigan Avenue and iAttended some free workshops about the products iOwned. There was an iPod and iTunes session where iGained some good insights and tips that iNever would have picked up on my own. iAlso attended a .Mac session to see what that was all about. And the session on the Adobe Creative Suite of products amazed me at what is possible with that software.
iFound that the free, 1-hour workshops are quite useful regardless of the topic. iSat in on the Garage Band workshop one time and, although iHad no initial plans to use that application, iLearned a bit about sound files, MIDI files, and how easy it would be to create my own music mix from scratch if iWanted to.
iShould point out that that the training area has wide, comfortable, theatre type seats and several electrical outlets on the floor around the seats where iCan plug in the power cord to my laptop and follow along during the sessions without using up my battery power. Their trainers are knowledgeable and usually direct the session toward the needs of the audience. iCheck the website for the Michigan Avenue store to see when specific workshops are offered knowing that iWill be able to ask any specific questions iHave about the topic anytime during the sessions.
Unless absolutely necessary, iTry to avoid the Apple Store on weekends because it can get pretty crowded. Otherwise, iThink it's a great place to stop in and play with the newest Apple computers and gadgets and take in a good workshop. At least that's what iDo.
I'm pretty sure we all know Apple is doing alright. The review here is for the customer service.
I'll admit it, I walked in here about a year ago with only my limited college knowlege of a Mac. But I needed a laptop and I knew I was ready to switch over.
So like any "new mac" person I walked in there with about a thousand questions. They were helpful and informative, and I already had some background information from some mac-user friends so I knew enough to know they weren't messing with me. I walked out with a Macbook and a pretty high level of customer satisfaction.
Of course, like the rest of the world, I love my mac. But, that has nothing to do with the store.
I've visited the Genius Bar on a few occasions at this point for questions and help (and of course to utilize my warranty) and found them to be extremely helpful and informative as well. I saw one of their instruction classes taking place the last time I was there, and I'd love to go.
Beyond that, like all apple stores, it's clean, organized, and easy to navigate. It didn't take much, I'm probably forever a mac user. Smart move on all accounts, Mr. Jobs. Haha.
This place has completely redeemed itself for me. A few days ago I was in with an out of warranty iPhone that half of the screen stopped responding to touch. Replaced, no questions asked.
And a couple of days ago I brought my laptop in for repair. I got a a call two days later saying the repairs were complete. Kick ass Applestore!
This Apple store location is a tough review for me. I wouldn't call walking through this place… Read more »
The best Apple Store in existence, and I've been to Apple Stores in NYC and L.A. Two floors of Steve Jobsness. Sweet.
You could probably beat seasonal affective disorder if you went here every day during the 9 month period of hell also known as winter that afflicts this otherwise awesome city. I like bright light. I like shiny toy-like computers that you can lick. Sharp edges are bad.
The thing that totally won me over, though, was the fact that back in the day, because they couldn't fix my busted iBook G3 733, they decided to give me back an iBook G4 933. FTW!
Great location, looks pretty awesome, unfortunately has never been any help to me so I quit trying.
I came here back in January & I waited probably over an hour for someone to finally tell me they didn't have the piece that I was looking for here. What really sucks is the place is so crowded I couldn't even go play on the computers while I waited.
This led me to the uncrowded, extremely friendly store out at Woodfield Mall in Schaumburg. As inconvenient as that may sound, it beats a useless trip downtown.
I haven't shopped here (Not Really).
I would, but I have utilized it for a higher purpose: That is distraction of the holder of the sacred wallet... you watch their (father, husband, boyfriend, sugar-daddy...) eyes widen in awe and go a little moist when they see the giant logo.
Then you kinda nudge them inside. Hypnotized by gadgetry, games and toys... you can sneak away, card in hand and rack up some frequent flyer miles trying on shoes and designer sunglasses at Nordstom, buy out La Perla, hit Sephora to play with more girly goodies, stash the high-priced evidence in the trunk of the car and come back to find 'em purring, content and oblivious right where you originally dropped them off.
Beautiful. Brings a glittering tear to my pretty yet conniving eyes... 'Course, that may the reflected light from nearby Tiffanys.
Apple I salute you!
The store is made great by those super nice and super knowledgeable folks that will talk to you forever and answer all your questions... One blue shirt in particular was Jake. Seriously, this guy is the best ever. I walked out of that place with a new computer after years of hesitation because he stayed there talking to me until I couldn't think of another questions to ask. Thank you Jake. Thank you Apple store for hiring Jake.
I left off a star because when we went to pay for our perfect little star we got the most unfocused, unclear, cranky check out people ever. They were not helpful at all and couldn't answer even the simplest questions.
sigh.
can't have it all, I guess.
I love apple products. I hate this place.
I'm on my like 5th ipod...thats right, I have one from almost every generation.
3rd gen ipod- Apple at this point was wonderful. The genius bar was superb. This ipod had known battery problems and when I took it to the counter, they gave me a new one within 5 minutes. I thought "wow, apple customer service is great" and bought a new ipod after that one finally crapped out.
1st gen Ipod Nano- My headphones got caught on something right outside the door. Went in on the offchance they would help me out. The guy just took it out of a drawer...didn't even have to wait in line.
2nd gen Ipod Nano- Battery life *again*...the girl at the genius bar was like "w.e." and walked out with a new nano.
3rd gen Ipod Nano- My headphones pretty much fell apart this time. Nothing happened. They were in my pocket chilling and first the cover of the earbuds come off, followed by its inards and finally it did nothing but buzz. I took it to the genius bar...which is now replaced by cooler than thou douches with giant black rimmed glasses and bright shirts...
Response: "NO, we won't replace it. It looks like you put it in the microwave" and dismissed me.
5th gen Vid Ipod- Something went horribly awry with the screen. I bought an refurbished ipod with the same warranty but then something black kept seeping underneath it. It was immaculate/scratchless front and back so I didn't bang it against anything...
Waited a cool 45 minutes at the genius bar.
Same guys as before...response: "we don't cover this kind of damage."
Iphone: my iphone battery constantly feels like its about to heat up and explode. restored and brought back to the store. Waited 1.5 hours (!?!) in genius bar. The guy tried to get me to *RE-register for another 2 years of ATT saying 'this is the only way i can try to fix it." I don't understand how poor battery life has ANYTHING to do with activation. I said my dad pays for my plan and hes not going to give me his soc for u to mess around with my att plan. He tries to get me to call him. I just say forget it and walk away.
**This is also a warning for all you jailbreakers. the apple store at mich WILL mess around with your plan/activation before they do anything.**
I hate this place. I was SO mesmerized by apple when i bought my first ipod and loved their customer service at mich that I was planning on getting another macbook. But it already freaks me out that they can't seem to take care of a $300 product problem.. much less a $1500... someone send me a shoutout if they know how to fix iphones.
STAY AWAY FROM THE GENIUS BAR HERE.
I switched from a PC to a MacBook after the new models came out this fall. I'd been stalking the store for awhile learning more about what they offered. Ultimately, I decided that I wanted the larger hard drive and more memory options.
I was surprised when the salesperson told me to order online. Seriously? I'm in the store and trying to throw money at them and they don't have any way of accepting a slightly customized order? I understand that they probably only have the basic models in stock but figured they'd be able to accept my customized order anyway.
In any case, ordering online was easy, so if you know what you want and don't have any questions, feel free to save yourself some time by simply ordering online.
Neighborhood: University Village
Category: Office Equipment
Oak Brook, IL
Category: Computers
Neighborhood: Uptown
Category: IT Services & Computer Repair
Neighborhood: Lakeview
Category: IT Services & Computer Repair
Neighborhood: Hyde Park
Category: IT Services & Computer Repair
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