Comments on: Vancouver Site Finally Confirmed

By: Craig

Craig — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 04:03:36 +0000

It seems obvious to me that the Pacific Centre store will occupy part of the multi-level space freed by Holt-Renfrew’s expansion/move one block north.

That gives Apple both street-level presence and an entrance within the mall, across the street from the existing Skytrain station beneath the Hudson Bay store and within half a block of the new Canada line station. Once Granville Street re-opens after Skytrain construction it will return to its role as a MAJOR surface transit corridor.

This is easy walking distance from Seabus and the Westcoast Express commuter trains and from Canada Place and the new convention centre and Vancouver’s cruise ship facilities.

It is also within easy walking distance of the downtown campuses of the University of BC, Simon Fraser University, BC Institute of Technology and Vancouver Community College.

Because of the residential density of the downtown peninsula, this is less than a 30 minutes by foot from the largely upscale residents of the West End, Coal Harbour, Yaletown and False Creek neighbourhoods and the condos springing up on every available plot in the city centre.

A flagship store is easily justified by the Vancouver market, especially with the huge amount of money dropped here annually by tourists, including mobs of Asian-Pacific visitors.

Judging by progress at this site and the recent job postings, I expect to be lining up for the opening in April or May 2008.

By: Robbie

Robbie — Sun, 09 Dec 2007 04:48:02 +0000

It amazes me that it has taken apple this long to get a store here! They’re basically going in order of largest city downwards. First Toronto, then montreal, then more toronto, then more. It does worry me that the location is in a downtown mall, they might just stay until after the olympics and then pull out. We’ll just have to wait and see….

By: Richard

Richard — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 08:14:35 +0000

I’ll say this much, I’m glad an Apple store eventually open in Vancouver but who’s to say that all these new corporate retailers will still be here the day after the Olympics close. Vancouver will just be a smoking retail hole by 2011 when all the condo flippers will have jumped ship and moved back to Toronto.
The few resellers we have now are not quite up to Apple standards. It baffles me that Simply Computing can even remain open. The sales staff don’t seem to want to sell anything and the store looks like a 70’s garage sale. West World is… well, empty. Mac Station is okay but it would be nice if they had some stock and better hours. As for the others, Futureshop, London Drugs, Best Buy, they really need to hire some people who know how to turn a mac on. I had one fanboy sales guy at Futureshop try to talk me out of buying an new iMac and was pushing a cheap plastic PC with less fire power and crappy Vista. Give it up guys!

By: Marcus Williams

Marcus Williams — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 06:40:43 +0000

This is how far some Calgarians have their head up their ass! Bill first of all there is NO Apple store in Calgary. Maybe you are talking about an apple stand on one of Calgarys many farms! I hate how you people there are always trying to compare Vancouver to your city. There is NO comparison. And who cares who gets what first. Seems like Toronto gets everything first in Canada anyways. We are only 1 1/2 hours from seattle and they have everything anyways and at least 4 Apple stores.

By: Biff Whammy

Biff Whammy — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 03:11:21 +0000

First, the nitpicking: Calgary already has an Apple Store, so this won’t be Western Canada’s first.

Now, the more substantive bits:

All of the Apple Stores in Canada are located in malls owned and run by Cadillac Fairview. Pacific Centre is CF’s main (only?) downtown Vancouver mall, and has been undergoing major renovations — think “gut-job” — over the last couple of years. It’s entirely possible that it’s taken this long to open an Apple Store because of the renovation schedule.

As for Vancouver being well-served by local vendors: I just ordered a new iMac from apple.ca, rather than deal with any of them. Enough said.

By: Peter

Peter — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 23:09:02 +0000

Apple makes great products but sure sucks at how slowly it brings new stores to cities like Vancouver. Also it communicates timelines of new locations very poorly. It’s like the “holy grail.”

By: Gordon

Gordon — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 06:16:12 +0000

As deasine pointed out, Apple will build a new store at street level on one of the plazas of Pacific Centre on either side of Georgia St. It will be an extremely prominent location in the city. Another reason why Apple may not be in such a huge hurry to open a store is that Vancouver is served quite well by various resellers such as Simply Computing, Westworld, MacStation, London Drugs, Yup also Future Shop and Best Buy, DMC in Richmond . . . so they are probably selling as many Macs per capita as anywhere else.

By: Daniel

Daniel — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 06:28:46 +0000

That’s all well and good, but 2 years away is a very long time. I think it would great if they opened up a smaller store, maybe in one of the other malls, to tide us over for until 2009.

By: Sam

Sam — Sun, 21 Oct 2007 02:55:25 +0000

Finally! At least there’s some sort of confirmation that Apple IS coming to Vancouver. Pacific Center’s a good choice, given how crowded Downtown Vancouver already is.

I hope its a flagship store. If it has a streetfront entrance, then more possible! Especially with 2010 Olympics and right at the heart of downtown, Apple surely should show the world (especially Asia, where they aren’t that popular yet, other than Japan) with an awesome flagship store =D.

By: deasine

deasine — Sat, 20 Oct 2007 21:21:35 +0000

Well you have to see Apple will choose to open their store in downtown Vancouver no matter what. And as all vancouverites know, it is almost impossible to find a retail location in the heart of the city. Pacific Centre is the largest mall in Vancouver (just the city) and is continuing to expand itself underground. Now Apple has chosen Pacific Centre, but there aren’t any vacant spaces in Pacific Centre, thus, Pacific Centre will expand, which that will take a while. I’m guessing why it is 2009 is maybe because Apple has chosen a location at the “plaza”, which is near “Vancouver City Centre” station of the Canada Line, expected to be complete by 2009.

See the relationship?

I’m very happy to see this. At least we are getting a store, can’t complain about that…

By: Mark Wilson

Mark Wilson — Sat, 20 Oct 2007 19:21:30 +0000

Apple is doing a great job in retail and their perfect locations is part of the reason why. But I agree. Why abandon the city for almost two years before opening a Flagship store. Would a temporary location be SO terrible. Maybe they could not justify having the stone flooring but it is a pain in the neck anyway. (Also a pain in the back, legs and feet. Have you ever stood on such a surface, working all day long?)

The original iMac was a great retail item. But not having anything for consumers for sale since the Performas were discontinued cost Apple almost a full percentage of the retail market. If a city has no Apple stores, why lose the sales or have people buy PCs instead. Wouldn’t it be better to increase sales, have a trained staff and make a retail presence than wait for the perfect location.

Eventually some Apple store will close even if it is only because of changing markets or shopping center remodeling. It would be no bad reflection on Apple to move a small location to a new Flagship store.

By: Neil Anderson

Neil Anderson — Sat, 20 Oct 2007 17:21:01 +0000

Yahoo, now I’ll have a reason to venture to Vancouver.

By: Doug

Doug — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 22:10:02 +0000

Surely Apple could find a second location in the Vancouver area and open a store before late 2009?! Apple has really let down their many customers in Western Canada – zero stores so far!

By: Alistair

Alistair — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 21:21:03 +0000

No kidding, 2009 seems like a long stretch from the announcement earlier this year.

Perhaps this is a good thing: With the world visiting us for the first few months of 2010, Apple may be planing to make a ‘flagship’ store for our humble city.

By: Ryan

Ryan — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 20:13:29 +0000

2009????? that’s ****** ridiculous