The future Jordan Creek Town Center (Iowa) store is in a similar state of construction, with most interior work done, but no products or wall graphics.

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The future Danbury Fair Mall (Conn.) store is shaping up…the interior is nearly finished and furniture has arrived. However, there are no products or other items installed to indicate an imminent grand opening. Tipsters point to a mid-November opening, perhaps the day after Thanksgiving?

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I mentioned MacUpgrades as being in jeopardy from four near-by Apple retail stores, but they’re not the only reseller in the area. Bethesda Computers and Networks also has an office near the future Bethesda Row mini-store, but is geared more toward business customers.

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I don’t cover product rumors, but I can say that the press event Apple has scheduled relates to products now being delivered to its retail stores in unmarked boxes, with instructions not to display them until notified.

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The ARS Technica Web site posted some interesting commentary and photos about the mini-stores.

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The Joy of Tech cartoon features a mini-store as a backdrop.

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The Delaware News Journal has a store on the opening of the Christiana (Del.), regular-sized store. According to Sr. V-P Retail Ron Johnson, Apple has been waiting three years to open a Delaware store, which happens to be sales-tax free. The story also quotes a local Apple reseller who claims their revenues typically drop 20% [...]

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Apple’s six mini-stores opened to moderately-long lines and the usual curious crowds. The stores’ stainless steel design and back-lit interiors gave the stores a bright and inviting look. However, the self-service check-out stations are only a promise right now: only employees can use the stations until a touch-screen application is installed that includes clear instructions [...]

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Steve Jobs, Sr. V-P Retail Ron Johnson and V-P Real Estate George Blankenship showed up at the Stanford (N. Calif.) store in the afternoon. As well, several off-duty Apple employees toured the store with their families. A pizza deliveryman carried 5-6 pies into the store after 1 p.m., apparently for the staff to take a [...]

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An eBay listing for a Stanford commemorative T-shirt gives it away: not all the 500 T-shirts were handed out. Faced with the prospect of opening with a dirty floor, store staffers used scissors to cut out the Apple logo and wording from several T-shirts, and used the remaining cloth to rub out the black marks [...]

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Photos of the Bridgewater (NJ) store opening have been posted, thanks to the PhilMUG group. Thanks to Jason for his Christiana and Bridgewater photos, and to Thomas for the Stanford photos. Additional Oakridge photos have also been posted here.

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I’ve posted a report on the Santa Rosa Plaza (N. Calif.) grand opening, and a separate report detailing the design and architecture of the mini-stores.

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The answer to yesterday’s riddle is: there’s a hidden panel that allows access to the ceiling for light bulb replacement, which will occur annually.

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Grand Opening Report: Devin was first in line at the Santa Rosa Plaza (N. Calif.) store at 6 a.m., while Thomas was first at the Stanford (N. Calif.) store at 5:30 a.m. Meanwhile, up at the Southcenter (Wash.) store, rain was falling when Mary Ann arrived at 5:58 a.m. to be first in line. A [...]

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Today’s riddle is: How many Apple mini-store employees does it take to change a light bulb? It’s no joke. The ceilings of the new stores are a one-piece, plastic-type material that is stretched and suspended from the edges of the upper store walls. There are several rows of fluorescent bulbs above the ceiling. When a [...]

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