In the face of economic uncertainty, Americans are saving more and spending less, which may explain why Apple is testing out an extension of the EZ Pay handheld computers to handle cash transactions. Although some stores still have front-located point-of-sale cash drawers, most stores have a single drawer at the Genius Bar. According to customers who only carry Grant or Franklin around in their pockets, for this trial the Concierge table near the back of the store has been fitted with a cash drawer. Upon “ringing up” a cash purchase with the handheld computer, the store Specialist will then accept the buyer’s cash, and move to the cash drawer to stow the currency and obtain any change due. Back in 2004, when the mini-stores were introduced, Sr. V-P Retail Ron Johnson said that 80 percent of purchases were made with a credit card. But retail analysts noted a shift starting last Fall, as retail customers began using cash more often to avoid adding to their credit card balances.
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While the first Apple store planned for Paris may be a window-less underground cavern, a second location now under construction near the city’s Opera House will be among the chain’s most impressive. The location at 12, Rue Halévy features a light-filled, soaring interior space tucked behind arched windows, all facing onto an unusually large intersection that provides a view of the façade from many angles. A large sign on the exterior notes a building permit was issued February 23rd, and says the reconstruction is for a “hotel and shop.” The project encompasses 81,300 square-feet, according to the sign, on a 13,200 square-foot lot. Check photos after the break. read more…
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Apple has updated its procedures for handling certain iPhone hardware problems, and will now for the first time the Genius Bar staff will perform display screen replacements at its retail stores. Previously, iPhones and iPods have been subject to a swap-out policy: if the device is under warranty or otherwise eligible, it’s immediately replaced with a refurbished model. Now, iPhones that suffer from broken or inoperable displays will fixed by a module replacement in the back room of the retail stores. read more…
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Among the 175 most-photographed landmarks on earth, Apple’s Fifth Avenue (NYC) store has risen to fame the quickest, beating out Wrigley Field (Chicago), Buckingham Palace (London) and even the White House (DC). According to researchers from Cornell University who studied over 33.3 million Flickr photographs, the iconic glass cube of the Fifth Avenue store was the fifth most-photographed landmark in New York City, which is the world’s most-photographed city. The geospatial research was performed last summer using random Flickr photographs, and was partially funded by the National Science Foundation, Google and Yahoo. The results were presented at a Web conference in Madrid (Spain) last week, and technically focused on, “the spatial distribution of where people take photos to define a relational structure between the photos that are taken at popular places.” But as a side benefit, the researchers say their work also, “exposes a fascinating picture of what the world is paying attention to.” Beyond New York City, the most-photographed locations were London, San Francisco and Paris. Among the top 175 landmarks compiled by the researchers, the Apple store is the youngest–it opened on May 19, 2006, beating out the next-youngest landmark, the “Cloud Gate” reflective sculpture in Chicago’s Millennium Park, by just three days. Virtually every other landmark among the top 175 is several decades old or, outside the United States, hundreds of years old. Read more about the research results, and browse maps of the results. read more…
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The Apple retail regional director who sold off nine grand opening T-shirts for $155 last month has now turned his back entirely on the company. According to Web sources, Michael Forrest has joined Microsoft Corp. as its new Director of Stores. Forrest had worked for Apple since August 2002 before he suddenly—and perhaps involuntarily—left the company. The T-shirts, which went on sale shortly after he left, indicate that Forrest attended grand openings in New York City, Chicago, Tokyo and London, along with five in U.S. cities. In February Microsoft announced it had hired former Dreamworks SKG executive David Porter as corporate vice-president to head its retail initiative. At the time, the company said the project would “transform the PC and Microsoft buying experience.” Porter was in charge of worldwide product distribution for Dreamworks for two years, and before that was V-P and general merchandise manager for Wal-Mart, part of a 25-year career at that company. Since Microsoft’s announcement, no other details have emerged on the retail initiative, including how many stores and where they will be located.
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A new panoramic photo of the Carousel de Louvre (Paris) store provides additional insight into the odd shape and large size of the future store. Stitched together from three photos, the panorama shows a large, C-shaped entrance area, turning into a rectangular area that is 100 feet deep and 30 feet high. Beyond the entrance, there is a second-level mezzanine covering another large rectangular area. Large concrete support pillars support the second level. At this point the space is nothing but a bare cement floor and concrete walls, with no on-going construction work. Check the photo after the break. read more…
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A black-painted construction barricade has appeared on the second level of the Churchill Square shopping mall in Brighton (UK), confirming earlier reports of a future store there. According to photos, the store will be located between Build A Bear and River Island in the central part of the mall. The store could open by Fall. read more…
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Apple is closing several additional stores for a round of renovations, part of an on-going project to update very old stores to the latest architecture, and to refresh newer stores. The Washington Square (Ore.) will close on April 27th for a 12-day reconstruction, re-opening on May 9th. The store is a hybrid, with old-style glass partitions but with wood display tables and a stone floor. The Woodland (Mich.). Montgomery Mall (Md.) and Westchester (NY) stores will close during the same time periodi for similar renovations. The Aspen Grove (Colo.) store will open tomorrow after a renovation, while the Garden State Plaza (NJ) and Southpoint (NC) stores will re-open this Friday.
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Despite the economic downturn and in the face of investor anxiety, Apple turned in its best non-holiday quarter in history, posting revenues of $8.16 billion and generating a profit of $1.21 billion. Retail store results fell in the middle of its historic non-holiday range: sales were $1.47 billion, compared to $1.451 billion for the same quarter of 2008. Retail profit totaled $308 million, compared to $334 million for Q2 2008. The stores sold 438,000 Mac computers, the lowest figure since Q3 2007, which contributed to average per-store sales of $5.9 million, also a Q3 2007 level. CFO Peter Oppenheimer attributed the store sales decline to the “continued weak consumer spending environment” and the expansion of Apple’s reseller base. The stores hosted 39.1 million visitors, a moderate decline, but also hosted 644,000 personal training sessions during the quarter. Oppenheimer reiterated the company will open “about 25″ stores during the fiscal year, with about one-half outside the United States. read more…
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Say good-bye to the front-located check-out counter. Wave so-long to the black-painted shelving. And bid “Adios” to the glass partitions at the Cambridgeside (Mass.) retail store, as it closes on May 10th for a renovation that will bring it in-line with the chain’s current interior design. The store was #29 when it opened in December 2001, and its original design has made it a quaint destination for store aficionados. Several other stores still have the original design, including store #9 in Palo Alto (N. Calif.), Steve Jobs’ hometown. The Cambridgeside store will close for 12 days to receive a make-over, re-opening on May 22nd with the new interior. Current photos after the break. read more…
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If you’re a third-party product developer for Apple products, there is no better shelf space than Apple’s own stores. But the company is very selective about which products receive a coveted spot in the stores. That is why it’s significant that Apple is now selling the Optoma Pico Projector at its high-profile stores and those in so-called “top markets.” The iPhone-sized device hit the market last December and has received rave reviews for its small size, 1½-hour battery life and bright screen even at its maximum 5-foot diagonal display size. The company’s marketing emphasizes the projector’s compatibility with iPhones and iPods, although it will work with any composite video-out device. Why wasn’t the device rolled out to all the retail stores? At $399.95, it’s one of the most expensive third-party products offered in the stores. So Apple must feel the device will appeal only those who visit its upscale-market stores. If you don’t live near an Apple store, the projector is also now available at the on-line store.
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Apple will open a high-profile store on the ground floor of the future Philippine Stock Exchange high-rise office buildiing in Manila suburb, according to the Web site of an engineering company hired to perform sustainability studies for the high-rise project. According to the CB Engineers Web site, the Apple store will be the anchor tenant for the retail space, but it provides no other details. The store would be a notable extension of the chain outside Japan, China and Australia. The building is now under early construction at Fort Bonifacio, the former headquarters for U.S., and later Philippine, military operations. The former base located in the Manila suburb of Taguig was privatized several years ago, and development into residential and commercial properties is on-going. The store could open in 2011. read more…
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Residents of the Salt Lake City (Utah) region may feel the pangs of withdrawl starting May 10th when The Gateway retail store closes for three weeks to complete a renovation. The closure will mean the closest retail store is 423 miles away in Las Vegas (Nev.), or over six hours by vehicle. Apple customers could also shop at several Best Buy stores or the Simply Mac reseller store. The reconstruction is part of an on-going upgrade for some earlier stores, including a relocation of the Genius Bar to the rear position. The Gateway opened in Nov. 2005 and is the only Apple store within a huge area of the upper Rocky Mountain states defined by existing stores in the Minneapolis, Seattle, Las Vegas and Denver regions. This closure seems to create the largest black-out zone ever created by a renovation closure. read more…
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Construction on the future Scottsdale Quarter Apple store is well underway, but because of its conspicuous location and three visible sides, all the work is taking place behind black netting to keep the stainless steel invisible. A tipster’s photos show 30-foot high scaffolding around the three sides that support work platforms. Behind the black netting a trained eye can see the steel support structure for Apple’s tradmark stainless steel siding. The mall is opening in phases, with the Apple store opening by mid-summer. Photos and renderings after the break. read more…
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Apple’s retail team has located the next Montreal-region retail store perfectly—at the Pointe Claire mall, nearly equidistant from the two existing stores so it perfectly improve coverage for the 3.6 million residents of the region. The two-level indoor mall is located along the Trans-Canada Highway in the suburbs southwest of city center, and about three miles from the city’s airport. The store could open by early November.
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