During his visit to New York City to attend the grand opening of the Fifth Avenue store, store principal architect Peter Bohlin also spoke at the Future of Public Libraries conference, likening the Apple stores to libraries, a concept previously mentioned by Sr. V-P Retail Ron Johnson. Bohlin explained some of the store design goals to the library group, including making the interior visible from the outside, and the exterior visible from inside the store. He noted the many uses of the store beyond selling products, including instruction sessions, School Night, live music performances, and appearances by artistic and creative groups. He explained that Apple stores are magic places in prime locations where people can come, interact and learn–certainly the goal of a modern library.
Also read...
|
The store at International Mall in Tampa is like a community center for like-minded creative spirits who enjoy using Apple products. Unfortunately, I recently learned that they are soon replacing the theater at the rear of the store with a Studio counter. I will miss the in-store presentations and guest speakers very much—I have attended many over the past 5 years.
They did the same thing in the Westfarms store in Connecticut in favor of an iPod bar. I think Apple has deemed these theaters useless in some places because they can accomplish the same stuff without them. I was at the Fifth Avenue store last week and they where doing a worskhop on one of those giant sreens they have fixed in the walls behind the bars. Evereyone just stood there watching the show; no theater needed. At the store’s entrance was an advert for the Tobolowski presentation which they where going to do later that day, but I don’t know how they did that one.
My point: do not despair, Apple seems to be continuing the presentations and speakers without the theaters, although I will miss the theater benches which made a good place to sleep when the Genius Bar was running behind.