Apple Retail Stores rumored for Moscow, Utah
Apple retail executives are nearing a decision to lease space in a historic building near the Kremlin in Moscow in what would be the first Apple Store in any of the republics of the former Soviet Union, a new report claims, while hiring has begun for a second Apple Store in the state of Utah.
Moscow
Sources have told ifoAppleStore that Apple senior vice president Ron Johnson and vice president Bob Bridger visited Moscow at the end of March to examine a potential retail space in the historic Hotel Moskva. The two were reportedly seen examining a 16,000 square-foot two-level space.
"At the time, no lease had been signed, but a decision could be made soon, sources say," the report noted, adding that the store would be the eastern-most Apple store in Europe and the first Apple store in any of the 15 republics of the former Soviet Union.
Situated at the northern end of Red Square, the Hotel Moskva opened in 1935 and has been undergoing reconstruction since 2002. The newly renovated building will house the first Four Seasons hotel in Russia, as well as a large multi-story trade gallery.
Though the project has experienced its share of setbacks and delays, the hotel is expected to reopen in late 2011 or early 2012.
Of the so-called BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China), Apple has said that China is its top priority. However, the arrival of an Apple Retail Store in Russia would signal a significant investment on Apple's part into the developing Russian market. According to a 2010 census, Russia currently has a population of 142 million.
Apple has seen rapid adoption to the iPhone in Russia since it officially launched there in 2008. Russian carriers had reportedly agreed to sell 1.8 million iPhones per year, beginning with the iPhone 3G.
Utah
Job listings have confirmed that an Apple Store will open at the Fashion Place shopping Mall in Murray, Utah later this year, ifoAppleStore reports. The store would be located just eight miles south of an existing Salt Lake City Apple Store.
The report speculates that, based on construction and hiring schedules, the store could open in late October.
Moscow
Sources have told ifoAppleStore that Apple senior vice president Ron Johnson and vice president Bob Bridger visited Moscow at the end of March to examine a potential retail space in the historic Hotel Moskva. The two were reportedly seen examining a 16,000 square-foot two-level space.
"At the time, no lease had been signed, but a decision could be made soon, sources say," the report noted, adding that the store would be the eastern-most Apple store in Europe and the first Apple store in any of the 15 republics of the former Soviet Union.
Situated at the northern end of Red Square, the Hotel Moskva opened in 1935 and has been undergoing reconstruction since 2002. The newly renovated building will house the first Four Seasons hotel in Russia, as well as a large multi-story trade gallery.
Though the project has experienced its share of setbacks and delays, the hotel is expected to reopen in late 2011 or early 2012.
Of the so-called BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China), Apple has said that China is its top priority. However, the arrival of an Apple Retail Store in Russia would signal a significant investment on Apple's part into the developing Russian market. According to a 2010 census, Russia currently has a population of 142 million.
Apple has seen rapid adoption to the iPhone in Russia since it officially launched there in 2008. Russian carriers had reportedly agreed to sell 1.8 million iPhones per year, beginning with the iPhone 3G.
Utah
Job listings have confirmed that an Apple Store will open at the Fashion Place shopping Mall in Murray, Utah later this year, ifoAppleStore reports. The store would be located just eight miles south of an existing Salt Lake City Apple Store.
The report speculates that, based on construction and hiring schedules, the store could open in late October.
Comments
PLEASE APPLE!! COME TO ST. GEORGE!!!!
That is in excellent location! Just about 100 yards from the Red Square.
Is GUM still trading?
I understand the Russian President Dmitry Medvedev is a huge fan of Apple.
You understand correctly.
(Several reports are that the lines for iPad2s include a non-trivial number of people shill buying them to send overseas to Russia etc. where they are not for sale yet).
Maybe now the iPad2 lines will die down and we actual end users can buy more that stay in this country.
(Several reports are that the lines for iPad2s include a non-trivial number of people shill buying them to send overseas to Russia etc. where they are not for sale yet).
obligatory line 'joke':
In America, you line up for hours for chance to buy iPad2. In USSR, we lined up for days to buy bread. In Russia, we are tired of lining up, so now we pay American to stand in line for us.
Apple has seen rapid adoption to the iPhone in Russia since it officially launched there in 2008. Russian carriers had reportedly agreed to sell 1.8 million iPhones per year, beginning with the iPhone 3G.
I know I'm kicking a comatose horse here, but India could easily surpass 1.8 million iPhone sales per year if Apple bothered to actually market them here. Apple did an abysmal job of introducing the original iPhone to India: basically, they dropped off a crate of iPhones and walked away--and then had the nerve to say that sales tanked. They've been that way with Macs (cue the 90s meme that Apple products are too expensive), and will likely do the same with the iPad 2.
I simply don't buy the "Apple products are too expensive" meme. There are a plethora of high end "luxury" (though I still contend that Apple products are not "luxuries", but tomay-to/tomah-to) products advertised on TV all the time here: TAG Heuer, Audi, Porsche, BMW, Sony Bravia, Samsung plasma TVs, high end kitchen & home appliances, etc. Ads for Samsung Galaxy phones and tablets are already in heavy rotation. There's absolutely no reason for Apple to not join the fray.
I still get one of two types of expressions from people when they see my MacBook here: 1) freak-out--as if I'd brought some dangerous alien technology that could destroy us all!!! 2) Wow! You have Apple! That's soooo cool! I wish I could have one too, but there's just not enough support for Apple here.
One more kick to the poor horse: If Apple opened four stores in India--one in Hyderabad, one in Mumbai, one in Bangalore and one in Chennai, they would see huge amounts of traffic--and more importantly, sales. The Apple brand would quickly become less alien, and would be a solid alternative to Windows/Android.
Another way for Apple boost their image: product placement in Bollywood films. Indians almost literally worship their favourite Bollywood stars, and if they saw John Abraham or Deepika Padukone messing around on a MacBook, or an iPad 2, I'm fairly certain that Apple sales would explode here.
And Apple still ignores India. Sigh.
That does seem strange and there are plenty of tech savvy folks in India. Maybe Apple could help negotiate affordable Indian restaurant food in America as part of a deal.
(I miss eating it regularly as an ex Brit but OMG the prices in the States are outrageous.)
And Apple still ignores India. Sigh.
Yea, I thought India would have had at least two stores - Hyderabad and mumbay. Indians are super wealthy(at least here in the states, but I'm sure in those cities as well), but then again Moscow has something like the largest number of billionaires in the world, so that may have something to do with this decision.
Bureaucracy and corruption are big, ugly monsters, and I can see why Apple doesn't wanna wrestle with them. Frankly, I don't blame Apple. Sigh.
The addition of a store in Murray will help to take some of that pressure but I assume that most of the consumers in the southern half of the Wasatch Front are using school bookstores and the numerous authorized resellers for their Apple needs. The Gateway will still get all of the business from the northern part of the the front as well as the SLC proper traffic.
I live about 4 hours south of Salt Lake, in St. George Utah. We're not nearly as large as SLC, but we're not some tiny town. I've always wanted an Apple store here, if not just to make servicing easier.
PLEASE APPLE!! COME TO ST. GEORGE!!!!
I'd love to see that as well but I think it is a pipe dream. St George is growing plenty fast and can't be considered po-dunk by any stretch of the imagination. But the demographics likely need to change for Apple to believe it will support a brick and mortar presence. Too many retired folks who are stuck on their PCs and not really switching at a steady clip. The new airport may help grow business there and bring a changing demographic but it will take time.
I also can't think of a retail presence in St George that fits the typical Apple location.