Sources within the real estate industry have confirmed that Apple has indeed signed a lease agreement for an unknown building on Princess Street in Edinburgh (Scotland) for a future retail store. The street has historically been the pinnacle of shopping in the city, but in recent years has turned into a hodge-podge of smaller retailers. A recent series of workshops brought public and private representatives together to discuss how to revitalize the picturesque street across from the city’s hilltop castle. In this case, Apple is waiting for the current tenant’s lease to expire, but are already making plans to begin construction as soon as that occurs. The store will most likely open during 2009.
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John Muir
April 28, 2008 at 8:23 am
Ryan Adam
April 28, 2008 at 8:25 am
th
April 30, 2008 at 8:44 am
John Muir
April 30, 2008 at 9:01 am
John Muir
April 30, 2008 at 9:04 am
Eddie
July 24, 2008 at 3:27 am
Ryan Adam
July 24, 2008 at 6:43 am
Derek
December 13, 2008 at 4:45 am
John Muir
December 13, 2008 at 5:03 am
Eddie
February 3, 2009 at 8:10 am
Eddie
April 1, 2009 at 6:22 am
Adam
April 8, 2009 at 4:40 am
Eddie
April 22, 2009 at 5:06 am
Eddie
April 24, 2009 at 5:15 am
John Muir
April 24, 2009 at 5:24 am
Derek
April 24, 2009 at 5:29 am
Cris
May 29, 2009 at 10:08 am
Eddie
June 8, 2009 at 6:46 am
Your comments...
Hurrah! Given Princes Street’s view – and a suitable rebuild courtesy of Apple – this store should be something special. The street’s been an architectural mess for years, but fortunately remains purely one-sided with the south entirely unobscured. The possibilities for are endless.
Guess little Scotsys had better prepare for their last store’s last year.
Well at the moment there is a couple of places along Princess Street, including the old Littlewoods/Marks and Spencers store, and one in a new building next to H and M. Is there any ideas of where on Princess street, or/and the current tenant is. I would be glad and happy to help, (I’m in Kirkcaldy, 20-30 drive North) [IFO -- Sources have no idea, but it would generally have to be about a 60-foot wide space, with the ability to either demolish/reconstruct, or renovate the ground-floor and one or two upper floors.]
it could possibly be at the east end of princes street, directly across from the st james shopping mall there is a recently restored building remaining unused, although microsoft are apparently due to move in to one of the 3 floors for office use, would it be cheeky for apple to occupy the 2 other floors for retail usage?
Ah yes, the old Post Office building. I’d forgotten about that. It’s fairly grand, though so far over at the east end of the street that its view to the castle is obscured by the neighbouring hotel at North Bridge. Let’s see if I can Google up a photo:
http://www.edinphoto.org.uk/0_my_p_edyr_07/0_my_photos_edyr_08_2002_-_general_post_office_1.htm
Here’s the street in general (looking away down to the west):
http://henniker.org.uk/images/places/local_a/ed-central/_views_/sm-view-west.jpg
Loads more:
http://henniker.org.uk/html/ed_princes1.htm
Oops: I’m informed I’m an image thief! Charming…
The locked picture is from this list:
http://henniker.org.uk/html/views_from_scott_monument.htm
Apple won’t be going into the old Post Office, that’s for sure.
The story that they are waiting for an existing rental customer to move out would indicate that the building in question could be the NEXT shop, straight across from Waverley Bridge. They have recently moved out and the windows are covered up. If it is, the outside is virtually an Apple Store already! Lots of glass and new, clean lines.
Good location, and handy for the bus and train stations.
We’ll keep watching!
Eddie, are you getting your bridges mixed up? Across from Waverley Bridge is the Old Waverley Hotel, H&M, Mexx and the Arcadia Store (Burtons, etc). And the only places where Next is/was is in the St James Centre, or on Princess Street
Look at this:
http://www.grabup.com/uploads/f6bd0852fe35df780821550d82523b50.png
What about further west on Princes St. where the short lived Zavvi store was until about Sept. of ‘08? Perhaps they had to leave to make way for an Apple store? It’s massive in there and would be a great location since it actually affords a view of the castle and thus matches the description of many of the location rumours.
You mean the big old Virgin Megastore that’s been there since I were a nipper, saving up for the Super Nintendo games? The rebranding may have been shortlived, but the store had been there since the early 90’s. Its closure looks 100% financial abandonment and 0% speedy turnaround for a new owner.
Walking down Princes Street the other day, it was striking just what it’s been turning into. Even while the economy was still good, the street was going downhill. Just look at the outbreak of really tacky tourist shops which seems to be spreading from the middle. These aren’t even aimed at the same crowd as the cluster on the Royal Mile, but go squarely for the boozing lads market; whether it be visiting sports fans or dare I even say Prague style weekend bachelor parties? That’s no sustainable or even sensible aim for the city’s central and singularly panoramic street. How did it get to this?
Most curious of all: the designer shops following Harvey Nichols into the east end where the grimy old bus station used to be. Is St. Andrews Square becomming the new Princes Street?
Apple certainly has all the options and time in the world when it comes down to it. I hope the half million or so addressable consumers are enough to convince them this sliding town is still worth investing in. It’ll be telling to see what the financial services squeeze does to all of Edinburgh. It’s a highly exposed town.
Derek, I think your right.
The old Virgin Megastore moved out of 124/125 Princes Street and the short-lived Zavvi took over.
However, Apple are said to have signed up in April. The premises were advertised for let in July, and Zavvi only closed in September.
In late December, plans (dated October) were submitted to Edinburgh District Council for “Proposed new shop front, minor external alteration including replacement windows, new bin stores and entrance, internal reconfiguration to allow for additional retail floor space”
No names, no details, and no drawings apart from the location plan.
But, with CDA as architects, F&C Property Management, and Montague Evans this is a big business, whatever it is.
The plans specify it as a six storey building, so it would appear that the new tenants may plan to sub-let part of the building.
The application is “pending consideration” so we’ll keep an eye on it!
Approval granted for the development at 124 Princes Street, Edinburgh.
Still no names or identities on the plans – but the dark granite ‘goalpost’ design on the front, the removal of a perfectly good staircase and the indication of a new staircase up to the mezzanine level and down to the basement (’details to be included in the interior fittings plans’) seem to point to an Apple store – or maybe not? Time will tell!
Check this link
If that doesn’t look like the front of an Apple Store (with access for tenants on the left) I don’t know what does.
A dark granite shop front, as far as I know, would be a first for an Apple Store
Have a look at Apple’s Job opportunities – new stores opening
UNION SQUARE, ABERDEEN!
Where did that come from?
Urban Outfitters targets empty Princes Street store
From the Edinburgh Evening News, last month:
Published Date: 07 March 2009
AMERICAN fashion chain Urban Outfitters looks set to open a new store on a prime site in Princes Street.
The company currently has only one branch in Scotland, in Glasgow city centre, and is said to be ready to take over the former Zavvi music store in Princes Street, which closed at the end of last year.
A source was quoted as saying: “It’s in the final stages of negotiations.
“The deal has all but been agreed and all being well the fit-out should be under way within the next few months.”
The Evening News may well be wrong. (It wouldn’t exactly be the first time.)
A friend of mine (who’s not into Apple himself) has a mutual contact with the building owner. They weren’t naming names, but the man in the middle was laughing at how obvious it was that Apple was involved. Apparently no one else is that willing to spend good money overhauling a perfectly good front street shop right now.
My mate told me this only after I brought up the subject myself. “Oh that! It’s been a done deal for months.”
I know: rumours like this are lame. But what can I say: it’s my first!
And as we know: Apple is expanding its retail chain and has the finance to back it. I wouldn’t be sure about other, wholly retail, firms.
I would be surprised if Urban Outfitters went in there…that Zavvi’s is massive and there is no way Urban Outfitters could use that amount of space. The Glasgow location is about a tenth of the size.
I am getting goose-pimples reading these rumours. The truth is, the old Scotsys store on Nicolson Street, recently taken over by Cancom, describes itself as a Premium Apple Retailer but they really cannot cope with the demand. There are always long queues and (as they freely confess) although they have an engineer, any sort of servicing is quicker done by sending away to Apple themselves. I think an Apple store on Princes Street would be the most exciting thing to have happened in Edinburgh for years. It would make a big impact and would certainly be packed with eager shoppers – including plenty of students with money to spend.
Definitely Urban Outfitters going into the Zavvi store!
New plans are on line at the local Council.
I reckon Apple has had a look at the state of Edinburgh City Centre and said ‘forget it!’
How could they have a grand opening in their usual style, with an 8 foot high wire fence and a huge building site 10 feet in front of their new shop front. The fact that they are now recruiting for a new store in Aberdeen means surely that Edinburgh will not see an Apple Store for a few years at least, until this tram nonsense is finally up and running or cancelled forever!