Apple's 1st retailing pioneer stores are closing "FirstTech in Minnesota"

[cyber16]

When Apple first began selling its pioneering personal computers in the late 1970s, its first batch of machines went to Team Electronics in the Twin Cities.
Team Electronics eventually morphed into FirstTech, a Minneapolis tech dealer that has prided itself on being the world's first Apple reseller -- and being symbiotically associated with the Cupertino, Calif.-based personal-technology giant.

http://www.twincities.com/business/...-firsttech-apple-retailing-pioneer-is-closing

Sad to see them going.

 

[jeremysteele]

FirstTech has recently been owned and run by brothers Arnie, Rick and Harvey Zuckman.

Makes me wonder how long they have had the store? Article makes it seem like they recently bought it? If that's the case - could be it was having issues before and the new owners thought they could revive it? I hear stories about those situations all the time...

For better or worse - stuff like this happens. Here in Syracuse, Applied Technical Systems was around for years and years, it was basically our go-to Apple store. Then along came the offical Apple Store in Carousel/DestiNY mall in 2003 or so, and it gobbled up the employees and put Applied Tech out of business.

It's a shame - you can find little gems at these smaller stores that you just can't get anywhere else.

 

[cyber16]

As being a 50+ year old consumer here in the Minneapolis "TwinCities" area
most never worried about whom owned the stores, we were always glad that they were here. They offered onsite service like no other, they offered service on outdated mac's.
It's a shame that Apple has not stepped up to help in some way the worlds first real point of sale establishment they have. The store survived and endured all the ups and downs with Apple for 35+ years.
As said, smaller outfits such as first tech always seemed to stock the hard to find items.
Times are changing, yet I don't agree it's always for the better

I suppose adding all the Apple owned stores nearby also did not help First Tech.

 

[macproredux]

It is sad, Apple retail didn't have to step on their toes.

 

[maflynn]

It is sad, Apple retail didn't have to step on their toes.

Yes they did, Apple in the late 1990s had a major problem. Channel distribution, the third party authorized apple dealers were shrinking, unable to compete with big box stores at the time and back then Apple really didn't have a presence in those big box stores. Their best (and only) option was to open up retail stores, which they started doing in 2001.

While its sad to see the fist retail store selling apple computers close, Many other authorized apple stores had already succumbed to that fate prior to Apple opening up their retail store.

 

[MacsRgr8]

While its sad to see the fist retail store selling apple computers close, Many other authorized apple stores had already succumbed to that fate prior to Apple opening up their retail store.

Yep, you see this all around the world where Apple Stores are opening.

The Apple Premium Resellers and Apple Authorised Resellers in the neighbourhood will end up going belly-up.

 

[MattSepeta]

First Tech lost any chance of a long term future the minute an Apple Store opened up just a few blocks down Hennepin.

Such is life!