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![]() Store entrance in 2014 | |
Company type | Private |
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Industry | Retail Consulting |
Predecessor | Current Designs |
Founded | New York City, New York, U.S., 1987 |
Founder | Richard Demenus David Lerner |
Successor | T2 Computing |
Headquarters | , |
Area served | New York metropolitan area |
Services | Apple sales and service |
Number of employees | 200 (2014) |
Website | Official website |
Tekserve was an American consumer electronics and information technology consulting business based in the Flatiron District of Manhattan, New York City. Founded in 1987 as a side business by Macintosh-using engineers designing computer-controlled institutional electronics, Tekserve grew from a small back-office Macintosh repair shop [1] to become the largest single-location Apple Specialist and Premium Service Provider in the United States. [2]
The store announced its closure on August 15, 2016, and the location subsequently became home to the Poster House museum. [3] [4]
Tekserve founders David Lerner and Dick Demenus met at the New York City public FM radio station WBAI in 1970, and with engineer Mike Edl set up shop together late in the decade under the name Current Designs Corporation. [1] Their business was electronic engineering and industrial design. They manufactured the indestructible music listening stations to be found at the Lincoln Center branch of the New York Public Library, [5] and early models of the audio listening tours now found in many art museums. [6] [7]
Tekserve was formed as a "sister company under the same roof" [8] dedicated to servicing Macintosh computers and became Apple-authorized for repair in 1993. [9] [10] Tekserve occupied four locations on the same side of the same block in Chelsea: a 3,000-foot (910 m) loft at 115 West 23rd Street; [1] another loft at 163 West 23rd Street (the "Traffic Building"); a larger space on the fourth floor of 155 West 23rd Street, and later expansions to the third floor. In June 2002, the company moved to a 25,000-square-foot (2,300 m2) storefront location at 119 West 23rd Street, occupying the entire first floor of the Printing Arts Building (which extends through to 24th street). [11] [12] The first three locations were notable for their eccentric decor, including an antique ten-cent Coke machine, and a porch swing.
In 2014, Tekserve birthed a business-to-business enterprise, T2 Computing, based on core competencies and experiences, which continues to operate. [13] T2 became part of Axispoint in 2017, the latter acquiring the right to the Tekserve brand name. [14]
On June 29, 2016, the New York Times reported the retail store and service center would close, while certain elements of the business remained open. It ultimately closed a few weeks before the end of its lease due to changes in shopping habits, the presence of multiple Apple stores and increased rent. [15] [4]