Macintosh Systems Solutions - Key West (Fla.)

The Apple reseller Macintosh System Solutions held their grand opening on June 8-9, 2007, celebrating the southern-most source of Apple gear in the U.S.

Significantly, the 2,000+ square-foot store offices, warehouse, service shop and other facilities that were lost in the 2005 Hurricane Wilma storm surge. The store consists of a retail showroom, with a dedicated AppleTV "living room" outfitted with a top of the line home theater system with 50-inch plasma TV. There is also a 325 s.f. classroom for individual and group training, where the company is offering both basic and advanced classes. The new on-site warehouse is 2-1/2 times larger than the previous separate facility, has allowed the company to expand their offerings and have increased stock. The store is rounded out by new store offices, a system network room, and staff break room.

The store is located on a highly-visible corner, just 4 blocks from Duval Street, the main drag of Old Town Key West.

Owner Tom Mulhall proudly reports that over 1-1/2% of the total population of Key West attended, "with a great number of potential Windoze converts in attendance!" He said people from as far away as Miami (140 miles) were in attendance.

The company is an Apple Authorized Reseller and Apple Authorized Service Provider, and has been in business in the Keys for over six years, offering on-site sales and service over the entire 125 miles of the Keys.

Interestingly, the main showroom is brightly lit by just 240 watts of lighting: 100 watts of fill fluorescent floods, and 140 watts of main LED lighting. Mulhall said the system saves over $1,000 in electric each year, but the savings in cooling is even more significant, he says.

Here are photos of the new store, and visit their Web site.