he Mac mini was displayed in the front-most position of the store’s product counter, both in the "pro" and "home" sections, and also in the left-most position in the "photo" section. They were attached to 20-inch Cinema Displays, and had the latest iLife ‘05 software loaded on them.

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The store wall graphics have sported a new color and design, patterned after the iPod shuffle’s electric green motif.

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Here is the first photo of the Nagoya Sakae (Japan) retail store, which opened at 5 p.m. (PST) this evening. There was an overnight waiting line of 30 persons in near-freezing temperatures. The store is designed like other high-profile stores: two stories, glass staircase, Genius Bar on the second floor, kids section, etc. Download [...]

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Apple’s Retail Web page now lists the grand opening date and time of the Nagoya Sakae store, just hours before the actual opening.

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Both the Target and CompUSA Web sites list the Mac mini as a “coming soon” product. It’s not clear which brick-and-mortar retailers might carry the Mac mini. However, Target is a definite no, while CompUSA, Best Buy and Circuit City are possibles.

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The MacObserver Web site notes that a Needham & Co. stock analyst believes that Apple’s retail stores and the new Mac mini are "a match made in heaven," especially to help convert Windows users to the Mac platform.

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Inexplicably, as of this evening, Apple has still not posted the grand opening date and time of the Nagoya Sakae (Japan) store, even though it’s posted on the Japanese language Web page.

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The new retail staff shirts are making a wider roll-out. The shirt features a more "silky" material, with a raised rubbery rectangle on the left sleeve which features a de-embossed Apple logo.

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Walking the streets of Kuwait City, you might encounter this time-warp Apple retail store that now sits abandoned, with layers of dust on all the interior furnishings. Check the photo album for more photos of this strange store, complete with original 1997-era "Think Different" banners that are now very valuable on the auction market.

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Apple’s Retail Web page notes that starting Jan. 22nd, the stores will feature, " a new line-up of in-depth workshops for your learning pleasure." The classes cover the iLife applications, iTunes, iPod, "and many more."

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The grand opening date of the Nagoya Sakae (Japan) store–Jan. 22nd –has been posted on Apple’s Japanese language Web page, but (as of 3 a.m.) isn’t mentioned on either the English language version of the store page, or Apple’s main Retail page. The grand opening event includes T-shirts for the first 1,500 persons, a [...]

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All retail stores in the United States will open one hour early this Saturday for the introduction of iLife ‘05, the Mac mini and iWork.

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Apple has realigned its Wednesday marketing focus by changing it from "Pro Day" to "Business Day." In e-mail to registered users, Apple says the change was "in response to your feedback," and will include the "same popular features and support to help you get ahead in business." There will be a different business topic each [...]

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The Genius Bars have become very busy locations for the retail stores, and not just from people walking in with problems. Apple’s challenge is now how to recruit, train, manage and administer this increasingly important location. Besides walk-up questions, the counter hosts trouble-shooting conferences with customers, minor repairs, system set-up and many other situations. Over [...]

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Apple resellers from Australia provided remarks for an on-line story about December retailing, saying it was good, particularly iPods.

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The protective material has been removed from the front of the Nagoya (Japan) retail store, finally revealing the famous back-lit Apple logo. The store opens on January 22nd at 10 a.m.

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Various sources say that the Union Square (SF) retail store sold 2,000 iPod shuffle devices on the day it was introduced, with one person buying 24 at once.

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If your city or town isn’t on the list of future Apple retail store sites, how about buying your own store? A flyer circulated at the Mac Expo offered an Apple reseller operation in Las Vegas, "for the ridiculously low price of $186,000," including inventory. The flyer claims it has a "good" profit margin, good [...]

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Surfers unite! Now you won’t have to trudge all the way to Santa Monica in your wet baggies dragging your board. Simply head over to the Manhattan Village in Manhattan Beach, where a new Apple store should open some time this summer. The city is among the LA area’s Top 10 wealthiest communities, so the [...]

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Apple’s job listings now confirm the Bridgeport Village (Ore.) store I revealed on Monday.

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