Apple Compromise Leads to Store OK

After receiving objections from city officials for a stainless steel façade for a future store along the main street of Los Gatos (N. Calif.), Apple’s architect went back to the drawing board and came up with a compromise design that uses some plaster finishing and some stainless steel. That was enough for the city’s Planning Commission to approve the design in a 5-1 vote last week. Last November the commission turned down Apple’s original plans, attempting to maintain the original charm of the small town south of San Jose. Even with the vote, one commission member was prickly about Apple representative Benjamin Fay’s presentation that hinted the company was unwilling to compromise further. Commissioner Michael Kane told Fay, “You’ve got your magic formula, and I’ve got my magic town. It seems to me that you can compromise. You put that logo on a tent, and you can make money.” But other commissioners praised Apple’s high-quality design and welcomed the addition of a computer retailer to downtown. The store could open by late summer.