They are not sterile in person. There is more of a stylish look and feel about it. What is the Apple market share in Canada? I believe there are Apple stores in the UK and Ireland. Why leave you guys out I wonder...
Geez... So-many-Macs. Is this the first Apple Store in Tokyo/Japan?
Yes, it is.
There was a post over at MacNN a few days ago (which, typically, I can't find now) stating that a second store in Japan will open early or middle 2004.
Note how customers are smiling in the "sterile" store!
Another store will open in Osaka Japan next year. The stores look similar to The Gap (remove the clothes and replace with computers and such).... designed by the same firm. They are not sterile. They are brightly lit, are neat with plenty of room and invite customers to play with the product (children and adults). Large posters adorn the walls and are changed every few months. The Soho store in New York won an award for design. The smaller Mall stores, the ones that don't have a theatre, are also very pleasant - just on a smaller scale. Apple is only opening stores where the feel the population in that particular area will support and buy from them. Apple Stores are in business to make money not just for promotion.
Add The Grove in Los Angeles as a flagship store as well.
From memory, Jobs and someone from The Gap had cross directorships for a period of time. I also recall Steve-O saying that he learned a lot about retail while he was a Director of The Gap - this has obviously had a significant impact on the execution of Apple's retail strategy.
The more I see of Apple's management strategy recently (hardware and software rollouts, approach to open systems, consumer electronics strategy, retail, etc) the more excited I get about its stock. Jobs' and Apple look like they are on a very serious mission here.
They are not sterile in person. There is more of a stylish look and feel about it. What is the Apple market share in Canada? I believe there are Apple stores in the UK and Ireland. Why leave you guys out I wonder...
I'm not sure what the market share is but I do know we have in excess of 4 million people in the greater Toronto area. Pretty much on par with Chicago or there abouts. That's a ton of people you can potentially convert or at least expose them to your product.
Then again, Apple might be thinking..."well Buffalo's only a 2 hour drive for them." Not sure about the west coast...is there a store in Seattle area? If so, they might be saying the same to the Vancouverites.
The store on Michigan Ave in Chicago is beautiful. I love it. Only one problem, every time I go there I manage to spend too many hours of my already short life salivating over something I can't possibly afford. It's all school's fault, they take too much of my money. I need another job...
i get vertigo on the staircase if i look down, i'm positively hanging on to the railing for dear life. don't know why it doesn't happen going up.
(edit)more on the gap relationship, although it was totally gutted the michigan avenue location was a gap, and i know it wasn't the only one.
i can't imagine there not being an apple store in toronto someday, what is it,? yunge street? is that still happening? i haven't been there in a while.
P.S. Apple hired a former VP of The Gap to run their retail operation. He is Ron Johnson. Also Mickey Drexler who is CEO or was CEO of The Gap is on Apple's board of directors.
The other flagship store is the Apple Store at the Grove in Los Angeles.
I believe that all the flagship stores are also "standalone". Many Apple stores are in malls or pre built structures. I know that Apple built an entirely new building for the Michigan Ave. store, and I would assume the same for the SOHO and Japan stores as well.
I believe that all the flagship stores are also "standalone". Many Apple stores are in malls or pre built structures. I know that Apple built an entirely new building for the Michigan Ave. store, and I would assume the same for the SOHO and Japan stores as well.
the SOHO store is an historical landmark.....old post station. so, apple didn't build that.....it used to be a restoration hardware as well.
San Francisco will be receiving the next flagship store. Still far from done but it's going to be awesome. and I know the architects who are designing it.
the SOHO store is an historical landmark.....old post station. so, apple didn't build that.....it used to be a restoration hardware as well.
San Francisco will be receiving the next flagship store. Still far from done but it's going to be awesome. and I know the architects who are designing it.
the chicago store is not new, they gutted a gap store.
you knpw i actually remember those photos so obviously you're correct.
it's just during the queue on opening night i was leaning against the back wall (for about a half an hour) and there was this whole discussion of how they put the facade of the building over the ratty old brick. maybe i've gone nuts because i can't see where it would be from the photos. but it was in the back by the part of the building that is higher.
i'll snap a photo of it next time i'm there. unless i have gone round the bend.
Comments
Originally posted by meilleure ami
I believe there are Apple stores in the UK and Ireland.
No, this is Apple's first non-U.S. store.
Originally posted by SonOfSylvanus
Geez... So-many-Macs. Is this the first Apple Store in Tokyo/Japan?
Yes, it is.
There was a post over at MacNN a few days ago (which, typically, I can't find now) stating that a second store in Japan will open early or middle 2004.
Note how customers are smiling in the "sterile" store!
Another store will open in Osaka Japan next year. The stores look similar to The Gap (remove the clothes and replace with computers and such).... designed by the same firm. They are not sterile. They are brightly lit, are neat with plenty of room and invite customers to play with the product (children and adults). Large posters adorn the walls and are changed every few months. The Soho store in New York won an award for design. The smaller Mall stores, the ones that don't have a theatre, are also very pleasant - just on a smaller scale. Apple is only opening stores where the feel the population in that particular area will support and buy from them. Apple Stores are in business to make money not just for promotion.
Add The Grove in Los Angeles as a flagship store as well.
Originally posted by MacsRGood4U
The stores look similar to The Gap
From memory, Jobs and someone from The Gap had cross directorships for a period of time. I also recall Steve-O saying that he learned a lot about retail while he was a Director of The Gap - this has obviously had a significant impact on the execution of Apple's retail strategy.
The more I see of Apple's management strategy recently (hardware and software rollouts, approach to open systems, consumer electronics strategy, retail, etc) the more excited I get about its stock. Jobs' and Apple look like they are on a very serious mission here.
Originally posted by meilleure ami
They are not sterile in person. There is more of a stylish look and feel about it. What is the Apple market share in Canada? I believe there are Apple stores in the UK and Ireland. Why leave you guys out I wonder...
I'm not sure what the market share is but I do know we have in excess of 4 million people in the greater Toronto area. Pretty much on par with Chicago or there abouts. That's a ton of people you can potentially convert or at least expose them to your product.
Then again, Apple might be thinking..."well Buffalo's only a 2 hour drive for them." Not sure about the west coast...is there a store in Seattle area? If so, they might be saying the same to the Vancouverites.
Originally posted by DMBand0026
The store on Michigan Ave in Chicago is beautiful. I love it. Only one problem, every time I go there I manage to spend too many hours of my already short life salivating over something I can't possibly afford. It's all school's fault, they take too much of my money. I need another job...
i get vertigo on the staircase if i look down, i'm positively hanging on to the railing for dear life. don't know why it doesn't happen going up.
(edit)more on the gap relationship, although it was totally gutted the michigan avenue location was a gap, and i know it wasn't the only one.
i can't imagine there not being an apple store in toronto someday, what is it,? yunge street? is that still happening? i haven't been there in a while.
Well, at least the customers were smiling!
P.S. Apple hired a former VP of The Gap to run their retail operation. He is Ron Johnson. Also Mickey Drexler who is CEO or was CEO of The Gap is on Apple's board of directors.
Originally posted by foad
The other flagship store is the Apple Store at the Grove in Los Angeles.
I believe that all the flagship stores are also "standalone". Many Apple stores are in malls or pre built structures. I know that Apple built an entirely new building for the Michigan Ave. store, and I would assume the same for the SOHO and Japan stores as well.
Originally posted by DMBand0026
I believe that all the flagship stores are also "standalone". Many Apple stores are in malls or pre built structures. I know that Apple built an entirely new building for the Michigan Ave. store, and I would assume the same for the SOHO and Japan stores as well.
the SOHO store is an historical landmark.....old post station. so, apple didn't build that.....it used to be a restoration hardware as well.
San Francisco will be receiving the next flagship store. Still far from done but it's going to be awesome. and I know the architects who are designing it.
Originally posted by applenut
the SOHO store is an historical landmark.....old post station. so, apple didn't build that.....it used to be a restoration hardware as well.
San Francisco will be receiving the next flagship store. Still far from done but it's going to be awesome. and I know the architects who are designing it.
the chicago store is not new, they gutted a gap store.
new roof maybe.
Rain stopped!
Here's a bunch of other photos.
Originally posted by superkarate monkeydeathcar
the chicago store is not new, they gutted a gap store.
new roof maybe.
um...from the photos i saw the only thing they didn't completely tear down from the chicago store were the steel beams.
i think it's safe to say it's a new store.
Originally posted by applenut
um...from the photos i saw the only thing they didn't completely tear down from the chicago store were the steel beams.
i think it's safe to say it's a new store.
well if you wander back by their back alley you can see the original bricks under the new surface.
Originally posted by superkarate monkeydeathcar
well if you wander back by their back alley you can see the original bricks under the new surface.
:-\\
the original building
it's just during the queue on opening night i was leaning against the back wall (for about a half an hour) and there was this whole discussion of how they put the facade of the building over the ratty old brick. maybe i've gone nuts because i can't see where it would be from the photos. but it was in the back by the part of the building that is higher.
i'll snap a photo of it next time i'm there. unless i have gone round the bend.
I'm assuming they're speakers...
If they are, I WANT them!
Originally posted by pscates
Wow, check out those speakers in the Ginza store!
The ones that look like Pratt & Whitneys or the ones that look alien genitals?
I was going to get the JBL Creatures. Those and the iSub are about the extent of my "speakers for Macs" knowledge.