An employee of the Clarendon (Virg.) retail store was shot about 10:15 a.m. this morning when she confronted a man who rang the doorbell at the back door, and then pointed a handgun at her when she opened the door. The unnamed 26 year-old employee was wounded in the shoulder by a single shot, and was taken to a local hospital with serious injuries that are not life-threatening. The suspect escaped, despite a search by Arlington County Police on the ground with dogs, and from the air with a helicopter. Customers were shepherded outside by employees, and none was injured. The victim told police she did not recognize the man, who was wearing a fake beard, and police believe the motive was robbery. About 12 employees and 30 customers were in the store, which had opened at 10 a.m. read more…

Once again, Apple has posted a Web page for iPhone buyers to check the availability of the newest model at their favorite Apple store. Previously, the availability numbers were updated at the end of each shopping day. But this newest iPhone 3GS page is linked directly to Apple’s internal point-of-sale system, allowing hourly updates for each store based on sales. It’s not clear if–or how–the availability page is linked to Apple’s supply chain, to indicate when stores receive new shipments of iPhones. As of Friday evening after closing time, only 29 of the 257 stores reported out-of–stock status on any model. There is barely a pattern of shortages among the various versions of the iPhone, but white models and 32 Gb models seemed to be most commonly out-of-stock. Update: As of the close of business on Sunday, June 28th, 10 days of customer purchases and the efficiency of Apple’s supply chain had created very low supplies of the 16 Gb white model iPhone 3GS. Just 19 perent of stores has the lower-priced model on hand. Other availabilities were: black 16 Gb = 35 percent of open stores, white 32 Gb = 52 percent, and black 32 Gb = 35 percent. Overall, there were 39 stores with no stocks of an iPhones, including all three stores in Oregon. Download (pdf) the availability list.

Sources have confirmed rumors that the Roosevelt Field (NY) retail store will move from its second-level, end-of-hallway location to the space now occupied by Restoration Hardware on the ground level, near the center of the mall. The move will more than double the size of the store, give it much more visibility, and increase the passing visitor traffic. Tipsters say the that Restoration Hardware is scheduled to move out soon, making way for Apple. However, it’s not clear exactly when the relocation will occur. The Roosevelt Field location opened in July 2002 as the 33rd store in the chain. read more…

The future Halsted Street (Chicago) Apple store would have a tall, sweeping wall of stainless steel, backed by a slice of glass allowing a view to the inside, and bordered by water fountains, a parking lot and landscaping–but only if design contest winner Chen Shi Jun of Shaoxin (China) was in charge of the final architectural design. Chen’s design beat out 11 other amazing entries in the contest, and will receive a $100 Apple gift card. His design melded the materials, branding and other features of current stores, took them to another level, and then added in street-level features to make the store an inviting place outside. Chen’s detailed renderings show a two-level store that takes full use of the odd-shaped space on Chicago’s north side, but also a design that finds room for curves, glass and other features that avoid creating a blocky, monolithic presence. Apple’s brand is carried by the familiar back-lit logo on the second level of the Halsted-Clybourn Avenue corner, and by a tall tower with a rotating sign at Halsted-West North Avenue. The storefront along Halsted features a tall expanse of glass, while the Clybourn side accommodates 19 parking spaces. Slicing through the middle of the store is an eight-foot panel of glass, allowing customers some visibility of the sky, and passersby a peek into the store’s interior. read more…

As any high school student can tell you, it’s a great Spring day when your teacher suggests that the class all go outside for the day’s instruction. The same principle applies to those who come to the Apple store–at least at the Stanford (N. Calif.) mini-store. A combination of the incredible small space inside the store, and a large iPhone 3G-S crowd forced a Creative and three women to move outside among the mall’s landscaped walkway. Surrounded by 35 varieties of trees, four microclimates and 1,300 plants maintained by two full-time gardeners, the foursome practiced how to set up their new iPhones, take photos, make calls and perform other useful functions. Photo after the break. read more…

After the Palo Alto (N. Calif.) retail store closes at 9 p.m., it goes to sleep just like a Macbook laptop, and now we have the video to prove it. It’s long been known that the twin, back-lit Apple logos on either side of the door are programmed to slowly pulsate, just like the “sleep” light on a Macbook. But during last Friday’s iPhone 3G-S event, I was able to take video of the storefront and create a timelapse that shows the actual cycling of the lights. read more…

Waiting lines for the new iPhone 3G-S model have formed around the world, including three persons under Apple-supplied umbreallas in a continuous rain at the Fifth Avenue (NYC) store. When I’ve arrived at the Palo Alto (N. Calif.) store at 6 p.m., there were just two persons in line–Taylor arrived first a 3 p.m. on Wednesday, but the second person in line arrived only on Thursday afternoon. At the same time, there was no waiting line at the Burlingame store, or even at the large San Francisco store. From news accounts and attendees, it appears that there were very small waiting lines in the San Francisco region, and that they only started growing about 5 a.m. But despite the early size of the lines, the crowds were enthusiastic, and the buying experience was vastly superior to the introduction of the iPhone 3G, which took upwards of 30 minutes for early buyers to purchase and activate because of computer system glitches. read more…

Every Apple store in the United States will open at 7 a.m. this Friday morning to begin selling the long-anticipated new version of the iPhone. Six stores will be closed for renovations on the day that the iPhone 3G-S debuts. However, the remainder of the 205 U.S. stores, including those within malls, have made arrangements with local jurisdictions and mall security to open early. Stores in Canada will hold their first-ever iPhone debut event, but will open at 8 a.m. on Friday. Unlike AT&T, Apple stores will have a single opening time and waiting line to buy an iPhone, both for those who pre-authorized via Apple’s Web site, and those who are just “walking in.” Check this Web page for a complete list of stores, and then check specific store pages to insure your local store will be open. Update: The Digital Lifestyle Web site will broadcast live from the Fifth Avenue (NYC) store starting on Thursday. IFO will be reporting on waiting lines at stores in the San Francisco area. Keep an eye on Twitter for my updates Thursday evening and Friday morning. read more…

One of the most classic stores in Apple’s retail chain will receive a major overhaul during a nearly four-week renovation starting the end of June. The Walt Whitman (NY) store was the #54 when it opened in 2003, and still sports its original wood floor, Corian display tables and glass partitions. The front of the store features the classic black metal panel with back-lit Apple logo. Given the long duration of construction work, the store will presumably undergo a stainless steel transformation and even a stone floor installation. The store was renovated late last year to eliminate the glass partitions and install wood display tables. During the closure from June 29th to July 23rd, patrons are directed to Long Island’s two other stores, or Apple stores beyond them in the New York City region. Update: The renovation period was later shortened to July 17th for an unknown reason.

The Apple stores have always been about the experience: to provide a sales point for products, but never with the singular goal of pressing the customer to buy directly from Apple. The evangelism of Apple stores means that store visitors may also buy from authorized reseller stores or on-line. As well, Apple store employees have been evaluated less on strict sales dollars, and more on attachment rates and customer experience. Now, however, Apple seems to be pushing its employees to generate more sales for its own stores, rather than allowing for choice. Coincident with recent changes to the One To One training program, Apple debuted a new reward program which they call, “Make an owner, become an owner.” When a sales employee meets a certain daily goal for sales, they are entered in a drawing for a Macintosh laptop, described as a “low-end” model.  The program also applies to the stores’ non-sales staff. However, they are into a the drawing whenever they sell a single computer. The reward program is identical to those long offered by many other retailers, especially those selling electronics. It’s not clear how often a drawing is held, or if the laptop is considered part of the employee’s taxable compensation.

One of the most unique and spectacular Apple stores in the United States cost millions of dollars to build and outfit, but was almost never constructed–it was a last minute change to the architectural plans of the Scottsdale Quarter (Ariz.) shopping complex being constructed in several phases in the suburbs of Phoenix. The store held its grand opening last Friday evening, with the setting sun streaming through the huge glass windows at one end of store–and right out through identical windows at the front of the store. A huge crowd lined up to examine the store, most unaware that no other Apple store is designed as a huge box with twin windows at either end, and all asking the obvious question: where are the bathrooms? read more…

Locating an Apple store in one of the most affluent areas of the country demands a substantial investment, and that’s what the company is doing at the Americana Manhasset mall on Long Island (NY). Apple is spending several million dollars to demolish a former bank branch, and build a new all-steel structure for a 4,000 square-foot store just outside the existing boundary of the upscale mall. Apple’s investment in the midst of an economic downturn is justified. The outdoor stores along Northern Boulevard mirror those of other high-profile malls, including Burberry, Cartier, Coach, Louis Vuitton, Lacoste and Dior. In addition, the area’s average household income is $125,000, among the 10 highest incomes for any existing Apple store location. read more…

A photographic peak into the future Apple store space along Wisconsin Avenue in Washington (DC) reveals that no interior work has been performed. Apple purchased the former French Connection store in 2007 for $13.7 million, but had to endure almost a year of wrangling by District boards and commissions to obtain approval for architectural plans. Now, over two years later, the economic downturn may have taken its toll on the project. A photo of the interior shows the original interior, and that no construction work of any kind is underway. read more…

The introduction of Apple’s third version of the iPhone on June 19th will once again test the retail stores’ ability to efficiently handle crowds of customers and the complex process of cellular phone registration. Apple has posted instructions for buying an iPhone on-line, saying customers can simply walk in to the nearest Apple store, but recommending that instead they register on-line before making a visit. Apple’s Web page says iPhones will go on sale at 8 a.m., and AT&T says it will start selling when their stores open in the morning. The first iPhone debuted in summer 2007 and was efficiently sold like candy–customers handed over their money, received their boxed iPhone, and then went home to register with AT&T via iTunes. However, AT&T change the registration process with the introduction of the iPhone 3G in summer 2008, hoping to reduce iPhones taken out of the country and never registered. The change required buyers to select a voice and data plan when they arrived to buy an iPhone, and to complete on-line registration within the store. The in-store registration process, long customer lines and AT&T computer glitches slowed the purchase process to a crawlon the first day–some buyers took 20 to 30 minutes to complete their purchase. read more…

In the wake of the economic downturn, Apple’s retail real estate team is scouting Dublin (Ireland) to find the perfect space for a retail store. The Tribune newspaper reports that Apple has retained real estate advisors Jones Lang LaSalle to help locate about 6,000 square-feet, possibly on two levels. According to the newspaper, the scouting has focused on the former Dunnes Stores space at the top of Grafton Street, and the former Habitat store at the bottom of the street. Grafton is routinely rated among the Top 10 retail locations in the world–and among the most expensive to lease. The city-center, pedestrian-only street runs from St. Andrew’s Street to St. Stephen’s Green, and is represented by almost every upscale international retailer. Street photos after the break. read more…