Source: Apple to build double-decker flagship in Montreal

[AppleInsider]

Apple Inc. is finalizing plans for its first Canadian flagship shop, a spacious multi-story retail outlet to be located in the heart of Montreal, a source tells AppleInsider.

The Cupertino-based gadget maker is reported to have secured some 9,300 square feet of space along the 1300 block of Rue Ste-Catherine Ouest, where it plans to heavily alter -- but not raze -- an existing structure.

According to a set of initial design plans, the company has proposed that the ground floor of the building be raised and that existing column structures on the property be relocated. Plans also call for the building to receive a new roof and stainless steel facade.

On the interior, Apple's proposal calls for two stories of retail sales space to be joined by a trademark glass staircases, similar to the one found at its SoHo, New York and Regent Street, London locations.

Office space, a back-end stock room, and bathroom facilities will consume a portion of the 9,300 square feet, trimming the retail sales area to approximately 8,000 -- leaving the Montreal location a couple thousand square feet short of Apple's Manhattan-based shops.

Although Apple presently operates four retail locations in Canada, none of the stores are designated as flagship locations. Montreal would represent just the 10th high-profile location for Apple, joining its eight existing flagships spread across the U.S., U.K., and Japan, as well as a ninth under development in Manhattan's Meatpacking district.

Apple's flagship shops have been strategically placed in the world's most densely populated shopping districts and are conceived as projections of the Apple brand with their architecture and interior design. Each year, the company spends an undisclosed sum on marketing costs for the the high-profile locations, ranging up to $10 million.

Unexpected delays withstanding, Apple hopes to begin operating out of the Montreal location during the summer or early fall of next year, according to the source.

The site of Apple's future Motreal flagship retail store | Photo by Chris Erb

The site of Apple's future Motreal flagship retail store | Photo by Chris Erb

The site of Apple's future Motreal flagship retail store | Photo by Chris Erb

[ View this article at AppleInsider.com ]

[GQB]

Now THIS is starting to worry me.
I've had a long standing investment rule...
When companies start building architectural monuments to themselves, its time to bail.
Usually this takes the form of enormous new executive headquarters, but the proliferation of Apple retail 'flagships' is starting to look similar.
Put the money in the products, guys.

[wiipod]

For ounce, Montreal gets prefered over Toronto, good choice Steve, Merci beaucoup!

[Gustav]

Originally Posted by GQB

Now THIS is starting to worry me.
I've had a long standing investment rule...
When companies start building architectural monuments to themselves, its time to bail.
Usually this takes the form of enormous new executive headquarters, but the proliferation of Apple retail 'flagships' is starting to look similar.
Put the money in the products, guys.

Uhm... what are you talking about? Apple builds some nice stores, that means "it's time to bail"?

Now that CompuSmart has closed its retail locations in Ottawa, I think it's time Ottawa got a real AppleStore. The Rideau Centre or Byward Market are good locations.

[Idle]

Originally Posted by GQB

Now THIS is starting to worry me.
I've had a long standing investment rule...
When companies start building architectural monuments to themselves, its time to bail.
Usually this takes the form of enormous new executive headquarters, but the proliferation of Apple retail 'flagships' is starting to look similar.
Put the money in the products, guys.

Apple has plenty of cash lying around - I wouldn't worry that they're sacrificing R&D for architecture. I'm not sure why you're concerned about this...an attractive and attracting front-end to a product is extremely important. Apple continues to invest in image, which is a crucial piece of why they are what they are.

[dansgil]

Seriously, when is Vancouver going to get an Apple Store? Montreal already has one!

[trevc]

Calgary already even had job postings on Apple's site for the Calgary store (over a year ago?)

Still nothing.

[GQB]

Originally Posted by Gustav

Uhm... what are you talking about? Apple builds some nice stores, that means "it's time to bail"?

Now that CompuSmart has closed its retail locations in Ottawa, I think it's time Ottawa got a real AppleStore. The Rideau Centre or Byward Market are good locations.

Nah, not actually gonna bail. The difference actually is that these sites actually aren't executive self-monuments.

[ajmas]

Originally Posted by dansgil

Seriously, when is Vancouver going to get an Apple Store? Montreal already has one!

You mean, 'will have one', since it still isn't built yet. I am sure Vancouver will get one eventually, though I am surprised, yet pleased that Montreal was chosen as the flagship location.

As to Ottawa, other than visiting the parliament building, I am not sure it is such a 'fashionable' attraction. Heck, when I asked where the shopping street was, I was pointed towards the Rideau center - not cool. I wouldn't be surprised if the the proximity to Crescent street is not a coincidence - think F1 Grand Prix, etc.

[jmcglinn]

Originally Posted by dansgil

Seriously, when is Vancouver going to get an Apple Store? Montreal already has one!

I'm in Seattle, but we just had visitors from the North that hadn't seen an Apple Store. There are three Toronto stores and _ZERO_ Vancouver stores, what gives?

[polar315]

A nice flagship store in downtown Toronto is what Apple really needs. Or at least it would be nice for me...

====================
Ikea is Swedish for Out of Stock

[SimonMTL]

Yes, it's true, Montreal already has one Apple Store. It's located in the "Carrefour" shopping centre on the north shore (Laval). But it's just one of those "small" Apple stores. We want the big guns, with the staircase and all!

I'll be happy not to have to do a special trip (10 km) to go to their other store, which incidentally had received the aluminium iMac less than 48 hours after Steve presented them at the Special Event.

[wdw1234]

in the old Holt Renfrew in Pacific Centre

[nicleT]

Hey! Laval is not in Montreal, it's a parallel world!!!!

[pmcd]

Originally Posted by polar315

A nice flagship store in downtown Toronto is what Apple really needs. Or at least it would be nice for me...

====================
Ikea is Swedish for Out of Stock

Montreal makes more sense given that Toronto has become almost exclusively a financial centre with its artists incapable of surviving in its overpriced housing market. I love Toronto and chose to live here over Montreal but it seems to me that Montreal simply has a more vibrant artistic and imaginative life. There's a good reason why tourists no longer come to Toronto...

philip

[ecking]

Originally Posted by ajmas

You mean, 'will have one', since it still isn't built yet. I am sure Vancouver will get one eventually, though I am surprised, yet pleased that Montreal was chosen as the flagship location.

As to Ottawa, other than visiting the parliament building, I am not sure it is such a 'fashionable' attraction. Heck, when I asked where the shopping street was, I was pointed towards the Rideau center - not cool. I wouldn't be surprised if the the proximity to Crescent street is not a coincidence - think F1 Grand Prix, etc.

I find that too funny to hear, when I lived in Ottawa upon moving there the same exact thing happened to me. There are little gems, but basically you nailed it.

[ecking]

Originally Posted by polar315

A nice flagship store in downtown Toronto is what Apple really needs. Or at least it would be nice for me...

====================
Ikea is Swedish for Out of Stock

It'd be nice for me too, they probably would have done that if they didn't already have the apple store in the eaton centre, we're not new york yet where they put like 5 flagship stores!

Side note I went to get one of the new keyboards on monday and they said they haven't got them in stock yet. WTF.

[Sekio]

Wow! This is so weird! I was JUST thinking yesterday "if Montreal got an Apple Flagship store, where would they put it?" (very nerdy I know but I'm also an urban planning student so I'm constantly thinking about what changes could happen in a city). My bike was out of commission and I had to walk a long length of of Ste-Catherine so I was trying to pick out some different places along the street. I have to go downtown in an hour so I'll take some pictures of the 1300 block and post them.

[Mooch]

I want to move to Vancouver so they better get an apple store soon!

I'm kind of surprised Apple's taken so long to expand up here...and the first 3 stores were in Toronto. very odd.

[abrooks]

Originally Posted by AppleInsider

trademark glass staircases, similar to the one found at its SoHo, New York and Regent Street, London locations.]

Don't forget San Francisco

[polar315]

Originally Posted by ecking

It'd be nice for me too, they probably would have done that if they didn't already have the apple store in the eaton centre, we're not new york yet where they put like 5 flagship stores!

Side note I went to get one of the new keyboards on monday and they said they haven't got them in stock yet. WTF.

I called the local Apple store and was told that they do not have any machines in stock for sales. Just display models on the floor. The wireless keyboards are still not available and will most likely wait until Sept for it.

[city]

Originally Posted by abrooks

Don't forget San Francisco

And the Grove L. A. and Tijuana, Mexico.

[dz3000]

Originally Posted by polar315

The wireless keyboards are still not available and will most likely wait until Sept for it.

Dollars to donuts it will be more like october than early september.. same problem/delay with wireless keyboards for last august's mac pro rollout.

[maruest]

Holy Cow! I'm working at 1350!
Time to ask for a salary raise

[alienzed]

Sweet! I live four blocks away from that location. I am SO getting a job there.
Woo Go Montreal! And Apple!

[Sekio]

Good luck, according to Wikipedia "The retail store is notoriously "tougher to be hired [at], than [to be] accepted by Stanford University," says Senior Vice President Ron Johnson. During one talk he said Apple hired 978 store employees during 2002 from an applicant pool of 16,438, an 'acceptance rate' of 5.95%."

Montreal offers the extra difficulty of needing to the bilingual.

[hansning]

Originally Posted by AppleInsider

The Cupertino-based gadget maker is reported to have secured some 9,300 square feet of space along the 1300 block of Rue Ste-Catherine Ouest, where it plans to heavily alter -- but not raze -- an existing structure.

[ View this article at AppleInsider.com ]

i dunno, but that sounds like the Ogilvy building to me. if that is the case, i'm not sure this will happen, as ogilvy is part of montreal history, and the hecka lot of rich people who shop there will not let it go. anyone know what other significant buildings are there?

on a side note, montreal's downtown core is filled with amazing pre war buildings, and they make montreal what it is. does anyone known if apple will take advantage of that character? i'd hate to see the facade of ogilvy drastically altered. the only big apple store i've seen is the cube temple on 5th in manhatten.

[JimDreamworx]

Originally Posted by pmcd

Montreal makes more sense given that Toronto has become almost exclusively a financial centre with its artists incapable of surviving in its overpriced housing market. I love Toronto and chose to live here over Montreal but it seems to me that Montreal simply has a more vibrant artistic and imaginative life. There's a good reason why tourists no longer come to Toronto...

Indeed, Montreal is a world-class city.

Toronto one day hopes it will be, as it keeps telling anyone who will listen that it is.

[wiipod]

Originally Posted by JimDreamworx

Indeed, Montreal is a world-class city.

Toronto one day hopes it will be, as it keeps telling anyone who will listen that it is.

Don't forget the Canadiens, our beloved Habs, way much better than those Leafs

[Sekio]

Originally Posted by hansning

i dunno, but that sounds like the Ogilvy building to me. if that is the case, i'm not sure this will happen, as ogilvy is part of montreal history, and the hecka lot of rich people who shop there will not let it go. anyone know what other significant buildings are there?

on a side note, montreal's downtown core is filled with amazing pre war buildings, and they make montreal what it is. does anyone known if apple will take advantage of that character? i'd hate to see the facade of ogilvy drastically altered. the only big apple store i've seen is the cube temple on 5th in manhatten.

Close, but the Ogilvy building is far too big and such an important department store is not going to step aside for an Apple store. If the rumours are true, the new Apple store will open right beside it in the Mens boutique. this building:



I've written a bit of an analysis on the plans on a blog I contribute to here: http://www.spacingmontreal.ca

[hansning]

Originally Posted by Sekio

Close but the Ogilvy building is far too big and such an important department store is not going to step aside for a department store. If the rumours are true, the new Apple store will open right beside it in the Mens boutique. this building:

img...

I've written a bit of an analysis on the plans on a blog I contribute to here: http://www.spacingmontreal.ca

that's a relief... that building doesn't have much character that needs to be preserved. thanks.

[Sekio]

My thoughts exactly. it actually almost looks like an Apple Store already. Just slap some stainless steel and a giant glowing Apple logo on it and you're pretty much done.