The future Burlington Mall (Mass.) retail store is boarded up with no indication of Apple, and the inside of the space is empty, but construction is underway.

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Apple has posted the position of Training Coordinator, which includes responsibility for "the coordination of logistical details and inventory for Retail Training." See Apple’s Web page for full details.

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I’ve posted a video of the Century City (S. Calif.) retail store grand opening in two formats (MPEG-4) (H.264).

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Apple’s mini-stores continue to draw attention–and flies. An expert in stretched ceilings pointed out that dust, dead flies and other debris are now silhouetted on the backlit ceilings of mini-stores, greatly reducing their attractiveness. I’ve previously noted the scuff-marked condition of mini-store floors and the greasy hand and fingerprints on the stainless steel walls.

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The La Cantera (San Antonio, Tex.) retail store will hold its grand opening on the same day the new mall opens–September 16th.

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If you don’t think Sony is chasing Apple, take a look at this sign that promotes the location of Sony Style stores–all but two locations match Apple’s locations, in some cases within the same shopping mall. Oh, this sign is on the building right next door to the North Michigan Avenue store. Here’s Sony’s full [...]

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Thanks to Brian for the photos of the North Michigan Avenue (Chicago) store, showing the new upstairs Studio bar and POS counter, and the relocated ‘kids’ section.

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Are the retail stores ready for the Intel transition? I’m sure someone has already prepared a set of Q&A’s for the store staff, but I prepared my own list of questions and responses to keep the store revenue flowing.

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Electronics retailer Best Buy reported a 49% increase in quarterly profit compared to last year, while revenues were up 12%. More interesting is which stores posted the best sales gains–the ones converted to the new "customer-centric" model were up 9%, compared to the older design’s 4.4%. Best Buy will have about 250 to 300 stores [...]

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The Woodland (Mich.) retail store will hold its grand opening on June 25th. No word on why this store will hand out 1,000 commemorative T-shirts, while only 500 shirts were given out at the Century City (S. Calif.) store.

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Here’s another gallery of photos from the Bullring (UK) store grand opening.

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The neighbors in New York City’s Flatiron district have been on the prowl for months, looking for signs of life for the reported Apple retail store. Now, an informal poll taken down at Union Square Park has nominated the former Andrews Coffee space (136 Fifth Ave.) as a possibility. The space has plenty of retail [...]

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An on-line Marketwatch article speculates that Apple’s retail link with Wal-Mart is ramping up, and that recent "chatter" about excess Apple inventory is "overblown."

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The retail store employee T-shirts feature a promotion for Dashboard Widgets on the back: in small letters near the neck are several different references to the various standard Widgets and how they’re useful.

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The project has been in the works for months under a code name, and now an announcement is apparently near: a revamp of the AppleCare Protection Plan to provide redefined services in a two-tiered system, all based on past experience, the recent increase in Apple product users, and the every-changing role of the retail stores. [...]

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In about two weeks, Abt Electronics, one of the nation’s largest and busiest independent electronics resellers, will open what they are promoting as an "Apple Store" within its huge Glenview (Ill.) retail building. The space will include authentic-looking Apple retail store wall graphics and furniture, and sell the full line of Apple hardware and [...]

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Ha! Great fun inside the Twelve Oaks (Mich.) store, where a wonk dressed in all black recreates the famous iPod silhouette TV commercial, completely free of any attention by the store staff or customers. Check the amusing video they took of the event–before the store manager kicked them out.

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The future Northbrook Court (Ill.) store should open around mid-July.

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Ha! Great fun inside the Twelve Oaks (Mich.) store, where a wonk dressed in all black recreates the famous iPod silhouette TV commercial, completely free of any attention by the store staff or customers. Check the amusing video they took of the event–before the store manager kicked them out.

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Still another international retail expansion, this time in the Czech Republic, where the country’s first Apple Center will open in Prague this Fall, the first of five to open by the end of next year.

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