Local China media are reporting that construction has been delayed on the renovation of Qianmen Street, forcing Apple to temporarily abandon plans to locate its first store there ahead of the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Instead, Apple will open a smaller, 3,000 square-foot store in the Sanlitun district of the city four miles northeast of the original location. Sanlitun seems an unlikely area because of of its focus on bars and night clubs, which are frequented by expatriates and tourists. Apple had obtained a 32,000 square-foot space near Tiananmen Square, but government reconstruction of the mile-long street would have pushed back Apple’s grand opening too close to the August opening of the Games. Sources say that Apple will still open the Qianmen Street store, but later in the year. View a map of the two locations here.
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“ex-patriots”? Shouldn’t that be “expatriates”? [IFO -- Ha! I was thinking football. Corrected.]
I would like to see Apple opening a store in Zongguancun/Haidian … the high-tech/university district in Beijing.
I suspect Apple will get there before the end of 2009
Now it reads “ex-expatriates” - could also be correct, but I still think you mean simply “expatriates”… [IFO -- Corrected...again!]
I don’t have any reservations having Apple Stores in a Communist country, but I have deep reservations and misgivings about having the bulk of Apple products produced in a Communist country.
Many, many of our replacement parts are from China.
I’d much rather have those products and parts produced in a free country by free people.
If for some reason our supply of those products and parts are cut off…say a dust up over Taiwan, we are in deep trouble.
There are lost and lots of people around the world that need work and I’d like to see Apple make its products at least in North America or a non-Communist country again.
Oh, grow up, “Free people”? Someone obviously hasn’t read the Patriot (or should that be patriate) act. Apple moved production to China because it was cheap. If they didn’t you’d be on some other board complaining about high prices. Now, all that money coming in to china is increasing quality of life, and actually supporting the freedom which you seem to enjoy.
And by the way, the only reason why a “Dust up” over Taiwan is even possible, is due to a bloody stupid UN thinking that awarding sovereignty of the nation (Historically China’s) to JAPAN! in order to secure trade deals was a good Idea. They’ve got better claim to Hawaii.
*Sigh* I’m looking forward to the apple stores opening. I miss the demi-religious experience of visiting.