After years of speculation on when and if a Vancouver (BC) Apple store would open, Sr. V-P Retail Ron Johnson told attendees of Thursday’s stockholders meeting that a store would be announced “soon.” In response to a question about a Vancouver store from the audience at the end of the meeting, Johnson replied, “Patience is a virtue, and your patience will be rewarded soon.” Early rumors placed an Apple store inside the multi-block Pacific Center shopping complex, but more recent tips put the store at the under-development Jameson House project on Hastings Street, just a block from the harbor.
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{ 37 comments… read them below or add one }
THANK GOD.
We’ve been waiting for bloody ages!!
Why? We have great stores already like MacStation, WestWorld, Simply, and Discount Mac Club.
True, but nothing can really compare to the service and AppleCare support of an Apple Store.
Discount Mac Club is hard to get to by bus in Richmond. Service and lack of selection makes WestWorld a WorstWorld.
– Ken Wong surrey.bc.ca
When one can get to Discount Mac Club they have the best solutions via addons to produce high def videos. DMC can also produce DVDs in volume. Simply Computing IMHO is the best Mac store because of selection, knowledgeable staff, 10% off MacWorld & MacLife, Vancouver store and service depot open 7 days.
– Ken Wong surrey.bc.ca
When you factor in the amount of annual tourism flooding into the major shopping desitnations of Vancouver one quickly realizes that any location Apple selects within Vancouver will be one of truly epic proportions.
These predicted locations are within blocks of the the three largest dealers in Western Canada. The impact of this announcement will certainly send shivers down the spines of the principals at these organizations.
Simply, WestWorld, and MacStation have served the Vancouver markets for years, I am certain that an Apple Store in this area will see one or more of these businesses devoured by Apple’s presence. Let’s face it, the general public longs to experience the Apple Store and all of it’s wonderful ammenities first hand.
So long, farewell, I’ll see you at the Apple Store on opening day!
What’s wrong with you Ken Wong? West World has quality sales and service that you can’t find anywhere else!!!!!
Finally! I’ve been waiting for an Apple Store here in Vancouver forever!
Hopefully its a flagship store! And hopefully it opens soon (like maybe in September or October.
Wait a second…Jameson House? That development isn’t expected to done until 2009!!! What kind of “soon” is THAT? [IFO- Yes, the term "soon" seems to imply that the Jameson House tower won't be the location, although one of the two existing, vintage buildings might be home to Apple.]
The thousands of tourists that traipse through downtown from the cruise ship terminals etc. will certainly be drawn into either location.
You guys lamenting over the local dealers are talking out of your asses. Toronto has three Apple stores and not one dealer has closed since the first one opened two years ago.
Think about it. More Apple product sold means more service and accessory business for these other resellers. The Apple store won’t take away market share, it will penetrate new markets where the Prada moms won’t be caught going to a geeky store not located in a trendy fashion mall. You don’t get it. BTW, it’s unlikely going to be a flagship store. Toronto would get one in Yorkville before the lowly Vancouver market could sustain one. If you’ve ever visited a flagship, you’ll know that Vancouver could not support one.
What’s the big deal about it? Ok the stores look good, but come on, they are staffed with children and seniors, both with no real knowledge of the products. I have been to 4 Apple stores now, and spoke to many of their staff. Only one person of the 30 some odd people had even a remote clue to what he was talking about.
MacStation in Vancouver is the only one of the three that has the most to loose as they serve the downtown community. Simply Computing at least has experienced staff, and a strong and reputable service department. Plus they do more Pro stuff than an Apple store does (which typically caters only to the PC switcher. Granted, that Simply could do with a facelift though.
My guess is 280 Granville Street.
I’m SOOO getting a job there!
Word on the street is that the location is going to be the old InForm location… on Water St. in Gastown… Inform mysteriously moved locations across the street, and the old location is being renovated… [IFO- Inform Interiors moved from 50 Water Street to 97 Water Street. However, Inform Interiors owner Neils Bendtsen responded to my e-mail inquiry: "I have never heard from (Apple)."]
Unless you’ve ever been to an Apple Store, you wouldn’t understand what makes it so much better than just any dealer. It’s like Disneyland versus SeaWorld. I don’t care whether it’s a flagship or a mini, whether it’s at Pacific Centre or near Waterfront. I just want one in Vancouver! How many does Toronto have by now?!
Currently, Toronto 3, Vancouver 0.
The largest space is 5400 s.f., the smallest around 4,200 s.f.
All are in FASHION malls, targeting fashion-minded customers. A Vancouver storefront needs to meet the common criteria of having upmarket and trendy tenants such as Holt Renfrew, Pottery Barn, Williams-Sonoma, Banana Republic, H&M, Hollister, Abercrombie, Gap, Disney Store, etc…
The streetfront locations for Apple stores in the U.S. are in fashion strips or in major shoppings streets (i.e. Magnificent Mile/Michigan Ave in Chicago).
Another commonality of the Toronto locations is that the malls formerly had Eatons as anchor tenants and there aren’t any dollar stores as tenants.
Well without knowing any detail except what is posted here I’d say Robson Street seems the likeliest site.
I hope the bit about not devouring the other reatilers turns out to be true. I’ve been a customer of all them for over a 15 years and after they kept an Apple presence in Vancouver & burbs all those years I’d hate to see them go.
Apple store won’t be in Gastown. Not great area at night. Too far from the Business district. Not in a place with a bunch of residential high-rises. Very touristy but that is about it. Unfortunately, the Jameson House won’t be finished until 2009. Close to Canada Place, the cruise ships, residential, and the business district. Seems plausible. However, I would think Apple would want to be closer to the Robson Street upscale shopping district which appears to make Pacific Centre Mall a perfect location with lots of new residential high-rises being build.
With Apple, we only know one is going in Vancouver. We just don’t know where!
gmark2000, are you from Toronto? Just wondering, because you really seem to “hate” the fact that Vancouver might get a flagship.
Considering Vancouver has a metro population of 2.4 million, plus 8.8 million visitors a year, I think it can sustain a flagship with 10+ million people “in” the city each year. Asia is a market Apple hasn’t really entered other than in Japan, and Vancouver is a HUGE tourist destination for Asia. Apple could try to “interest” the Asian population by opening a flagship in one of the largest Asian tourist destinations in North America.
Plus, Toronto already has 3 locations. Apple probably will open 1 store in Vancouver, and let it be the flagship.
It’s about time Apple!!! I’ve been waiting for years now…I live on the North Shore
but the proposed location near the waterfront is perfect. I can take the Sea Bus if I don’t want to drive over the bridge.
The largest Apple store in the lower mainland is probably the U.B.C. bookstore. It is the No.1 Academic retailer of Apple in Canada even larger than U. of Toronto. So I think there is definitely an appetite for an Apple store here even a flagship store.
I like the Pacific Centre rumour, with the Holt Renfrew move, there is a lot of prime space available for an Apple Store.
Inform location: pretty big for a Apple Store but not big enough for a high end furniture store, that is why Inform moved across the street to their new ultra-modern location. Apple would be the leader of a Gastown remake ahead of the opening of the Woodwards redevelopment. Gastown and Chinatown will change so fast in the next few years. The crap tourist shops will disappear and it will become more like a cross between Robson St and Yaletown.
Hastings street/Jameson’s: Dead. No street life.
Robson: huge street foot traffic. huge rents. no big spaces available.
Granville St: second highest foot traffic in the city, second highest rents. being redeveloped. new street design and plazas when the new underground rail system is finished.
Pacific Centre/Holt Renfrew location: High end mall location and all the Granville street foot traffic. plus exposure to the new subway line traffic.
I would bet on the Pacific Centre former Holt Renfrew location. It is boarded up now that Holt’s has moved.
Can’t believe you all think it’s going to be in the ex-Holt’s site. That place is huge and doesn’t give Apple any space for their trademark shopfront. There isn’t enough street presence either. They don’t want to be tucked away in the crappy Pacific Centre either…
My guess is 820 Granville. The concrete shell of the entrance to the former Capitol cinema has been left in place following its demolition. It looks suspiciously like an Apple store in the making, and next to a couple of new retail units (Urban Outfitters and Puma), and at the junction with Robson, it’s a no-brainer. Time will tell if I’m right…
The ex-Holt’s could easily be renovated to include a storefront. There is no need to repeat the old, closed-off Holt’s facade. In fact, renos have already begun, although i have heard that the space is intended for an H&M. Signs within the mall say the work won’t be finished until spring 2008. Jameson House’s website now says that it plans to finish it’s construction in 2010… so probably no go on that. I can’t imagine that Apple would want to miss the Olympic crowd. It would be nice to see the Apple store paired with the interesting architecture though.
Anything on Granville would be the best move in my opinion. You can’t be the maximized centrality. As for Robson, I and many others avoid that blah, overrated, outdoor mall like the plague.
I’d heard the same about H&M going into the old Holt’s site.
The Jameson House rumour is just plain daft. There’s no way they’d wait that long to have a store. They haven’t even begun work, and that’s a long lead-time, even for retail. It’s too far out of the way as well.
So I’m sticking with 820 Granville. Looks like a dead-cert to me.
If anyone here uses Facebook, I’ve created a group for discussion of the upcoming Vancouver Apple Store:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2379884133
Best Buy/Future Shop will be opening Apple stores within stores in dt Vancouver. They will be the first in Canada and considered “flagship” stores. Vancouver you rock! 2 within blocks of each other. Sweet!
I have to put my vote in for Gastown. The Inform move WAS mysterious, and the renovations happening in the old location are really closed off. I can’t sneak a peak, try-as-I-might.
I doubt Gastown greatly.
Too far off the beaten track…
In regards to the comments on the Vancouver Apple reseller stores. All my dealings with most of these stores have been lack luster, based on knowledge, variety, service, tech. and software. Simply Computing being by far the worst nightmare and Mac Station and Discount mac club being OK. I can’t wait to deal with just true Apple Store personel and products!!!!
As far as location I think the Jameson House project would be a bad location.
I would describe the other Mac retailers in the area as mediocre at best. Simply isn’t bad, but they lack specialized knowledge / service in areas like music or video work on the Mac, but at least the staff there is honest and will tell you, “I don’t know” … unlike the staff at westworld who will BS you; if I want to be BS’d by ignorant commissioned sales staff, I’ll shop at Futureshop. Also, I’ve noticed that some of these retailers mark prices above what they go for at the apple online store, which is as shockingly greedy as it is stupid.
I like the idea of a Gastown or Granville Apple store.
I will be working at the new Vancouver Apple Store. Our training will be done on May 17. I think the store will be open on May 18 (Sunday) or 19 (Victoria Day).
MacGuy you are in violation of ALL of your confidentiality agreements. Remove your post. When we know who you are you will be fired.
The Apple Store is opening on the 24th of may. Officially by Apple:
http://www.apple.com/ca/retail/pacificcentre/