If you want to purchase Apple’s extended warranty AppleCare service while at one of their retail stores, you simply ask a MacSpecialist. But if you visit an authorized reseller, they may have another technique for promoting AppleCare–a plastic hanger card with a pitch on one side, and an explanation on the other. “Peace of mind [...]

read more...

As Apple continues to contemplate its own retail plans for China, the authorized reseller Kewei Digital Store has forged ahead with the festive grand opening of a two-story store in east-central Beijing today. According to the Beijing Macintosh Users Group (BeiMac), it’s the largest store in the city of 15 million residents. After performances by [...]

read more...

As we approach the second birthday of the Regent Street (London) store, Apple has promised to finish renovations that include a second Studio Bar, new iPod Bar and a glass elevator like the one at the Fifth Avenue store. Since the theater is part of the construction zone, presentations are being given in a small [...]

read more...

Reports that Apple’s retail team has been prowling Glasgow (Scotland) have been confirmed with the company’s filing of an application with the city’s Planning and Development agency to extensively renovate the building at 147 Buchanan Street in the city’s central business district. It would be the first store in the country, and the furthest-north store [...]

read more...

Apple has announced the official grand opening of the ABQ Uptown (Albuquerque, NM) store to coincide with the mall’s opening, November 1st, a Wednesday. It will feature the usual commemorative T-shirt giveaway, and a sweepstakes with one $2,500 grand prize and ten $99 ProCare memberships.

read more...

Apple hasn’t produced a glossy tabloid holiday gift guide like they did two years ago, but they have produced a small, four-sided card that reminds corporate buyers that Apple offers quantity discounts on many of its products to give out as “business rewards.” The inside of the promotional card features iPods and their accessories, along [...]

read more...

Despite initial design proposals and employee recruiting earlier this year, there’s been no further action on Apple’s plans for a San Luis Obispo (Calif.) retail store. Public documents indicate that Apple submitted proposals in early May 2006 to modify the façade of the retail space at 899 Higuera Street in preparation for a new store. [...]

read more...

Apple’s creative window display team has produced another flashy window display, this time promoting the new line of iPod nanos in different colors. An array of nanos sits on a long Plexiglass rail, inside of which are colored LEDs matched to the iPods’ colors. A sequencer makes the lights ripple and flash, highlighting each model.

read more...

The latest shipments of AppleCare to the retail stores reveal the continuing switch to square, CD-sized product boxes. The savings in materials, manufacturing, assembly and shipping costs could total up to 10 percent, which goes straight to an improved bottom line for the Retail segment. Apple switched iLife, iTunes, .Mac, OS X and other software [...]

read more...

A New York City real estate developer has confirmed that Apple will open a retail store at 21 W. 34th Street, a five-story building directly across the street from the Empire State Building, and near Macy’s and Madison Square Garden. Developer SL Green Realty Corp. purchased the 50′-wide x 96′-deep building in July 2005 for [...]

read more...

The MacSource reseller store opened in downtown Prague (Czech Republic) last October, and continues to offer a complete assortment of Apple’s iPod and computer products to the city and surrounding region. The attractive-looking store is small by U.S. standards, but includes a second-floor theater for training and other presentations. Check these photos for a look [...]

read more...

Is everyone taking a couple of weeks off at The Grove (LA) store? The event calendar for this very busy location has been leaned out to almost nothing. A review of a typical list of events for the store shows 7-8 events, including special guests. The current calendar listing shows just two events every day [...]

read more...

Apple has officially announced the grand opening of the Otay Ranch (S. Calif.) store for this Friday, Oct. 27th. The event will feature the usual 1,000 commemorative T-shirts, a sweepstakes grand prize worth “over $2,500″ and ten first prizes of one-year ProCare.

read more...

We truly live in a global community, and that community wants Apple! Two independent movements in Poland and Greece note the very limited distribution channel for Apple products in their countries, creating an absence of price competition that effectively increases prices. The “We Want Apple Greece!” movement describes itself as the, “ultimate attempt to stimulate [...]

read more...

The Scotsys Apple Premium Reseller in Glasgow (Scotland) is ready to open their re-fitted store on Saturday, bringing a partial Apple store experience to the city. The new furniture and interior design looks very much like the former Apple Centre model, and also offers some of the official Apple store features. Check these photos for [...]

read more...

Apple will add an additional presence to the its Denver and Chicago regions with future stores in the suburbs of Littleton and Orland Park respectively. The Park Meadows Mall (Colo.) has 160 shops and restaurants south of Denver. It will become the fifth store in the area. The Orland Park Mall (Ill.) has 150 stores [...]

read more...

After some initial misgivings, the Boston Redevelopment Authority (BRA) has voted to approve Apple’s proposed plans for a retail store at 815 Boylston Street in the city’s busy Back Bay district. The three-story, glass-front store will occupy 21,350 square-feet across from the existing Prudential Center, and the future Mandarin Oriental Hotel. According to the BRA, [...]

read more...

Apple’s retail stores continued to improve financially during the fourth fiscal quarter of 2006, including record sales of computers, especially to new-to-Mac customers. The Retail segment posted $936 million in revenue, up 41 percent from the same quarter of 2005, and profit of $50 million, up 43 percent. For the first time, new-to-Mac sales within [...]

read more...

Thanks to Zachary for the updated photos of the ABQ Uptown store construction that shows the stainless steel and Apple logo packing crates, and the empty interior.

read more...

Stanley Whitman is considered a guru among mall managers for taking a chance back in 1965 to build Bal Harbour Shops on a barrier island of north Miami Beach, and developing it into a top destination. The village itself is tiny (3,200 residents in 3/10ths square-mile), but the mall is a very popular tourist destination, [...]

read more...