Honestly, most people driving down Chestnut Ridge Road probably don't realize they're passing a piece of tech history. Tice’s Corner Marketplace in Woodcliff Lake looks like your standard, upscale Bergen County shopping center—lots of stone, manicured bushes, and a Panera Bread. But tucked inside is Apple Tice's Corner, a store that, until very recently, was the absolute last of its kind in the entire world.
It was a time capsule.
While every other Apple Store on the planet was busy installing giant floor-to-ceiling glass panes and indoor trees, Tice’s held onto the past. It was the final "version 1.0" storefront. If you visited before the big 2023 renovation, you saw the iconic black facade and those two backlit white Apple logos that defined the early 2000s. It felt like stepping back into the day Steve Jobs first explained why a computer company needed a retail footprint.
The Weird History of Apple Tice's Corner
Apple Tice's Corner opened its doors on November 3, 2001. That’s just months after the very first stores in Virginia and California launched. Internally, Apple calls it R013. It was the 15th store ever built, and for over two decades, it barely changed.
Bergen County is a strange place for retail because of the "blue laws." Basically, most of the county shuts down on Sundays. You can't buy electronics, clothes, or even a toaster. This means Apple Tice's Corner is one of the few locations in the global fleet that is closed every single Sunday.
It’s quiet. Unlike the chaotic, echoing halls of the Garden State Plaza store just 15 minutes south, Tice’s has always felt like a neighborhood shop. You can usually find a parking spot within 50 feet of the door. That's unheard of for Apple.
The 2023 Facelift: End of an Era
In early 2023, the tech world got a bit sentimental. News broke that Apple Tice's Corner would finally close for a massive overhaul. For purists like Michael Steeber—who basically documents every brick and mortar move Apple makes—it was a bittersweet moment. The "black front" design was officially dead.
The store reopened in July 2023, and yeah, it’s beautiful. But it’s different.
The old black panels are gone. They were replaced by the modern, open-concept glass look that aligns with the "Apple 2.0" aesthetic. It’s brighter now. The interior features the same light oak "Avenue" displays you’ll find in London or Tokyo. They added a dedicated Apple Pickup station, which is a lifesaver if you're just running in to grab a new pair of AirPods and don't want to get stuck behind someone having a 45-minute breakdown over their iCloud password.
What it’s Like to Visit Today
If you’re heading there now, keep in mind that it still follows those quirky New Jersey rules.
- Monday – Saturday: 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM
- Sunday: Closed (Seriously, don't show up. The whole mall is a ghost town.)
The vibe is still "posh corporate." The mall is surrounded by the headquarters of companies like BMW and Benjamin Moore. You see a lot of professionals coming in for Genius Bar appointments during their lunch breaks. Because it's an outdoor "lifestyle center," you don't have to deal with the soul-crushing atmosphere of a massive indoor mall.
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It’s also a prime spot for Today at Apple sessions. Since the renovation, the store has better acoustics and a more dedicated space for these workshops. They do everything from "Taking Better Photos on iPhone" to coding labs for kids.
Does Tice’s Corner Still Get Busy?
Yes, but it's a "civilized" busy.
During an iPhone launch week, the line wraps around the sidewalk near Pottery Barn and Anthropologie. But on a random Tuesday morning? It’s arguably the most relaxing Apple experience in the Tri-State area. You aren't being elbowed by tourists like you are at the Fifth Avenue cube in Manhattan.
One thing that hasn't changed is the expertise. Because this location has been around since the beginning, some of the staff have been there for a decade or more. That kind of institutional knowledge is rare in retail. They’ve seen every weird hardware glitch from the PowerBook G4 to the Apple Vision Pro.
Navigating the Bergen County Blue Laws
You’ve gotta be careful with your timing. If you have a hardware emergency on a Saturday night at 7:45 PM, you are basically out of luck until Monday morning.
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Many people make the mistake of driving from Rockland County, NY, or even from the city on a Sunday, thinking "it's just a mall." It’s not. The gates will be down. If you absolutely need Apple support on a Sunday, you have to drive further out to the Nanuet store in New York or go deep into Jersey to find a county that doesn't observe the blue laws.
Practical Tips for Your Visit
- Skip the Mall Traffic: Use the back entrance of the Tice's Corner parking lot if you’re coming from the Garden State Parkway. Exit 171 is your best friend.
- Check the Stock: Use the Apple Store app to check local inventory at R013 before you drive. If it's in stock, buy it for pickup. It guarantees your item and lets you skip the "browsing" crowd.
- Genius Bar Strategy: Appointments fill up fast here because it's the only store serving the northern "upper" part of the county and parts of New York. Book at least 3 days in advance.
- Weather Matters: Since it’s an outdoor mall, you’ll be walking from your car in the rain or snow. There are no covered walkways from the main parking lot to the Apple entrance.
Apple Tice's Corner might have lost its "vintage" look, but it kept its identity as the "locals' store." It’s a bit more polished now, a bit more glass-heavy, but it remains a weird, quiet pillar of Apple’s history in the suburbs.
If you’re planning a trip to get your screen fixed or finally trade in that old MacBook, just remember: check the calendar. Saturday is great. Sunday is a no-go.
Next steps for you: If you're planning a visit for a repair, check your AppleCare+ status online first. You can also use the Apple Support app to run a remote diagnostic on your device before you even leave your house, which usually speeds up the check-in process at the Tice's Corner Genius Bar.