Apple retail invades China this weekend (photos)

[AppleInsider]

Ahead of the summer Olympics, Apple on Saturday will open the doors to its first retail store in China, a glass-enclosed high-profile shop situated in Beijing's newest retail development: the Village at Sanlitun.

Keeping with his tradition of attending Apple's gala international retail launches, our friend Gary Allen from ifoAppleStore has made the grueling journey across the Pacific to be on hand for tomorrow's grand opening at 10:00 a.m.

Allen reports that Apple's space within the Sanlitun complex "is nearly invisible from the street," because it sits within the center's inner courtyard. "But once you see it, it’s impressive -- a three-story glass façade covering two visible floors, and a level covered with stainless steel."

A large overpass reportedly caps off the store, funneling patrons to and from other portions of the shopping center. The overpass itself is covered with stainless steel and punctuated with a back-lit Apple logo near center mass.

Inside, customers will find the usually array of Mac and iPod products, as well as a sprawling Genius Bar staffed with technical support specialists. However, one thing they won't find is the iPhone, as Apple's negotiations with Chinese wireless carriers remain a work-in-progress.

According to Allen, a crowd of over 110 people had queued up in an enclosed space just to the left of the store as of midnight Saturday morning local time.

Apple Store Sanlitun in Beijing, China | Copyright: 变脸.

The courtyard at Village at Sanlitun | Copyright: sortabella.

Entering the courtyard at Village at Sanlitun | Copyright: sortabella.

Apple retail VP Ron Johnson addresses the local media Thursday | Copyright: sortabella.

Apple Store Sanlitun's sprawling Genius Bar | Copyright: sortabella.

A broader view of the Village at Sanlitun retail complex | Copyright: sortabella.

[ View this article at AppleInsider.com ]

[Tulkas]

The chinese build buildings that really look like ass. The Apple store looks nice, but the rest of the buildings in the "Village at Sanlitun retail complex" look horrible.

[Fast Fred 1]

Our friend Gary Allen from ifoAppleStore has made the grueling journey across the Pacific to be on hand for tomorrow's grand opening at 10:00 a.m.


What he do swim ??

[Fast Fred 1]

Originally Posted by Tulkas

The chinese build buildings that really look like ass. The Apple store looks nice, but the rest of the buildings in the "Village at Sanlitun retail complex" look horrible.

I don't know about looking like ass. But shouldn't "Genius Bar" be written in
chinese.

[Fast Fred 1]

And ya'll ain't fooling me. Those photos were done over with CS3,using the smog filter.

[applesmartcars]

That is the most beautiful piece of Apple architecture in existence. GAAHHH. We need one in downtown Seattle.

[christopher126]

Every once in awhile when reading these posts I laugh out loud, eg., "what did he do swim?" and "the smog filter."

[CREB]

Originally Posted by Fast Fred 1

I don't know about looking like ass. But shouldn't "Genius Bar" be written in chinese.

The caliber of Chinese consumer purchasing Apple products typically is a polyglot.

[Ireland]

Ron Johnson has (some) charisma, I wonder will he be one of the possible selections to replace El Jobso? Change is unavoidable. Jobs' replacement will be nothing like him, for better and for worse. No one is replaceable, cause everybody's different. That's life!

[somethinbaloo]

with the combination of best buy and apple in china and with apple displays in bestbuys, hopefully this will be a bigger footprint to push apple computers over there

[SpamSandwich]

Originally Posted by Fast Fred 1

I don't know about looking like ass. But shouldn't "Genius Bar" be written in
chinese.

Many signs around Beijing are in Chinese and English.

[PeterO]

Originally Posted by Fast Fred 1

And ya'll ain't fooling me. Those photos were done over with CS3,using the smog filter.

LMAO and ROTFL....


Funny how in Beijing, Apple's trademark stainless steel is a material necessity --- not a stylistic choice.

[Ireland]

Originally Posted by PeterO

LMAO and ROTFL....

No quite me.

[ap780]

hey, i rekon it looks good, but the apple store sydney looks heaps better, the stairs in the sydney shop are intence, and the overall design is awesome, i like the desighn of the china shop but it doesnt look as big

cheers
AP

[success]

Originally Posted by Ireland

Ron Johnson has (some) charisma, I wonder will he be one of the possible selections to replace El Jobso?

Would that be the same Ron Johnson that the famous black talking cat speaks of?

See for yourself.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=964uC...eature=related

[Ireland]

Originally Posted by success

Would that be the same Ron Johnson that the famous black talking cat speaks of?

See for yourself.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=964uC...eature=related

Yes, same fellow.

[chinnian]

Originally Posted by Tulkas

The chinese build buildings that really look like ass. The Apple store looks nice, but the rest of the buildings in the "Village at Sanlitun retail complex" look horrible.

well, and many of these other chinese build buildings that look like ass are designed by foreign famous architects.

[the cool gut]

Photoshoping in a Blue sky was a nice touch

-edit - seems "Fast Freddie" lives up to his name - beat me to the punch!

[adamzhu1986]

The building is nice but a little bit small.

I arrived there at 5 pm the day before the opening and I was the 17th.

I have some pics in my blog. Just visit:
http://www.1986tp.cn/2008/07/apple-s...ye-experience/

[Freddie Wigeon]

Originally Posted by Fast Fred 1

And ya'll ain't fooling me. Those photos were done over with CS3,using the smog filter.

I'm interning in Beijing, and over the past few days, nearly every day has been a 'blue-sky day.' It was blue skies during the Grand Opening.

[peter236]

Originally Posted by Tulkas

The chinese build buildings that really look like ass. The Apple store looks nice, but the rest of the buildings in the "Village at Sanlitun retail complex" look horrible.

You are just another foreigner eating sour grapes.

[frawgz]

"Invades"...?

[the cool gut]

Originally Posted by peter236

You are just another foreigner eating sour grapes.

Well, you;ve got to admit - the Chinese government needs to stop foreign corporations from walking all over them. Like have a f*cking Starbucks in the forbidden city!??!?