Tekserve
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Consumer electronics, IT consulting |
| Founded | 1987 |
| Founder | David Lerner, Dick Demenus, Mike Edl |
| Defunct | 2016-08-15 |
| Headquarters | New York City , United States |
Area served | United States |
| Products | Apple repair and service, IT consulting |
Tekserve was a U.S.-based company specializing in consumer electronics and IT consulting, located in Manhattan's Flatiron District, New York City. Established in 1987 as a side venture by engineers who used Macintosh systems and designed computer-controlled electronics for institutions, Tekserve evolved from a modest Macintosh repair operation in the back office to become the largest single-site Apple Specialist and Premium Service Provider nationwide.
On August 15, 2016, Tekserve declared it would cease operations, and its former premises later became the home of the Poster House museum.
History
David Lerner and Dick Demenus, the founders of Tekserve, initially connected at the New York City public FM station WBAI in 1970. Along with engineer Mike Edl, they launched Current Designs Corporation toward the end of that decade. Their firm focused on electronic engineering and industrial design, producing durable music listening stations installed at locations such as the Lincoln Center branch of the New York Public Library and pioneering early versions of audio tour devices now common in art museums.
Tekserve was created as a "sister company under the same roof" dedicated to Macintosh computer servicing and gained Apple-authorized repair status in 1993. The company operated from four separate sites along one block in Chelsea, Manhattan: a 3,000-square-foot loft at 115 West 23rd Street; another loft at 163 West 23rd Street known as the "Traffic Building"; a larger fourth-floor space at 155 West 23rd Street; and later expansions to the third floor. In June 2002, Tekserve consolidated into a 25,000-square-foot retail storefront occupying the entire first floor of the Printing Arts Building at 119 West 23rd Street, which extends through to 24th Street. The earlier locations were distinguished by their quirky interiors, including an antique ten-cent Coca-Cola vending machine and a porch swing.
In 2014, Tekserve launched T2 Computing, a business-to-business division leveraging its core expertise. This entity remains active and was acquired by Axispoint in 2017, which also secured rights to the Tekserve brand.
The New York Times reported on June 29, 2016, that while some parts of the enterprise would continue operating, the retail store and service center were set to close. The closure occurred shortly before lease expiration due to shifting consumer behaviors, competition from multiple Apple stores nearby, and rising rental costs.
In popular culture
- Tekserve's premises have been featured as filming locations for multiple television series, such as Law & Order and Sex and the City.
- In the Sex and the City episode 408 titled "My Motherboard, Myself," Aasif Mandvi portrayed a Tekserve technician working to retrieve data from Carrie Bradshaw's laptop at the smaller 155 West 23rd Street site.
- The novel LaserWriter II by Tamara Shopsin centers on a 19-year-old woman who begins working at Tekserve. The story introduces various staff members and provides a partly fictionalized glimpse into the everyday experiences of a printer technician there.
- Shortly before its closure, American Pickers filmed a visit to the store, acquiring several items from the proprietor’s personal collection. Additionally, artifacts from the store’s Mac Museum were eventually transferred to a museum in Kyiv, Ukraine, managed by MacPaw.