From the monthly archives:
Thanks to Ahmad for the info that an Apple Centre opens this Sunday in Amman (Jordan), with all the usual Apple store design elements: wood display tables, wall graphics, bright lighting and something that looks like a Genius Bar. The 3,000 square-foot iSystem store is operated by long-time authorized resellers in the country.
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There have been several reports of warehouse retailer Costco having big stocks of iMac G5 desktops for sale, apparently the last of the inventory before the iMac Intel was introduced. Apple has previously used Costco to dispose of end-of-life products.
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The Northpark (Dallas) store will hold its grand opening this Saturday, March 4th, the third store in the region.
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The rise of the iPod and the withering of Apple’s mini-store concept has generated on-going speculation on whether the company will ever open iPod-only stores. Now there’s reason to speculate even more, with the opening of two stores in a chain of iPod-only stores in London by an authorized reseller. The tiny stores carry more iPod merchandise than a standard Apple store, and were designed in collaboration with Apple’s architectural team. Check my report and photos of the two stores, and how they may signal a new category of Apple store back here in the United States.
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You may know that Apple’s retail stores periodically collect merchandise that’s been returned or is otherwise unfit for sale as “new,” and offers it at up to 20% off the standard price. This same practice is going on all the time at Apple’s on-line store, and now there’s a way of tracking what merchandise is available and their prices. The While Supplies Last Web site began keeping track of refurbs and specials last Jan. 1st and is now offering twice-daily updates on the stock, including products making their first appearance and those disappearing forever. Besides providing an interesting way of tracking the life and death of Apple’s product line, you can also catch some great deals. For example, Webmaster Iolaire McFadden notes the 30-inch Cinema Display is available for $2,099, which is $400 off list price.
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Thanks to Matt for the photo showing the black-painted barricade in front of construction for a revised/enlarged SoHo (NYC) store theater. “We’re setting the stage for something big,” the sign says. The previous theater had 80 theater-type seats.
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Information about a future Arndale Centre” store has been confirmed by the MyMacPad Web site, which also said the manager of the nearby Trafford Centre Apple store was spotted hovering around the area of the mall expansion construction. The store will occupy space U23 on the second level.
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Apple’s retail store architecture is pretty particular, but this flickr photo makes it seem as if the architects forgot to include doors and windows. Actually, it’s the Fukuoka (Japan) store, whose front door and display windows are left, around the corner. Oh, and the off-center back-lit logo? It was probably placed there by the architect so the street lamp didn’t obscure the view.
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A white construction barricade is in front of the future Providence Place store, with Sharper Image on the left and Pottery Barn on the right. Thanks to Joss Poulton for the photos.
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Apple’s retail stores might be all about the experience, but for employees and the HQ financial staff it’s all about metrics. But exactly what are metrics and how do they fit in to Apple’s store operations? read more…
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Apple will celebrate it’s 30th anniversary on April 1st, and one thankful enthusiast has prepared a commemorative “Thank you Steve!” T-shirt to mark the occasion. Thomas Avallone has been using Macs since 1990, is a former Apple store employee, and is now a Mac consultant in Louisiana. “It occurred to me that Apple would be turning 30 this year,” he said in an e-mail interview, “and that a project like this to spearhead the celebration would be fun.” He noted that even though the project is titled, “Thank you, Steve!” it’s not directed at just one individual. “It is about celebrating 30 years of Apple and everyone who has pitched in there over these past three decades,” Avallone said. The T-shirt, which he co-designed with Colin Davidson, is available on Avallone’s Web site. He encourages you to snap a photo of yourself wearing the T-shirt at an Apple store or your other favorite Apple spot, and email it to him for Web posting. You might even wear the shirt to the next retail store grand opening!
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Podcaster Shawn King announced on tonight’s broadcast of Your Mac Life that an unnamed Apple employee confirmed to him the company will open a retail store in Calgary (Canada), at the Chinook Centre mall. King remarked that Apple is notoriously secreet about the stores, and that the employee consulted others within the company before confirming the information. He noted that Vancouver was the next logical choice for a store, since it’s among the nation’s three largest cities, but that Apple instead chose Calgary, with almost 1 million residents and 5 million annual tourists.
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Recognizing the locale of the future Carrefour Laval retail store in Montreal (Quebec), Apple has posted unusual French-language job ads on the Monster.ca Web site. The site asks, “L’idée de travailler chez Apple vous fait vibrer de joie?” If yes, join Apple’s retail team.
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Nik Fletcher has done some reconaissance at the West Quay mall in Southampton (UK), and located a logical space for the futue Apple store. However, he correctly notes that the architecture of the space limits how Apple might install its traditional stainless steel storefront, especially overhead.
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Ouch! You’ll recall that Apple abandoned its plans for a store in the Flatiron District of New York City in Sept. 2005 after receiving negative feedback on the architectural plan from the local community advisory board. Now real estate broker Robert K. Futterman & Assoc. LLC is trying to lease the property at 136 Fifth Ave., noting on its Web page that it’s a 12-year sublease from Apple Computer. Apple has been paying the lease since last year, which retail leasing sources say is over $100,000 a month.
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