There isn't anywhere in the CBD where Apple can build a 3-story glass cube! The pictures look great! Shame it's probably a few years before opening. Did anyone pick up on the "666 car spaces"! I wonder if Apple had anything to do with that...
If this goes ahead, it will be about 300m from my flat .
However, this is an odd location - there is already a hotel directly opposite (Como). Going away from this location down Chapel Street in one direction there is another furniture shop, a billiard/pool hall, some serviced apartments and a gym - hardly retail heaven. Although there is a Lamborghini dealership at the end of the road..
In the other direction are retail shops, but Chapel St is primarily fashion and the target shopper is late-teenage / early 20's girls. Not exactly Apple customers (but it does make for a good night out on Friday / Saturday).
There is also an Apple retailer on Chapel St about 1km up from here.
I doubt Apple would build it here; for a flagship shop like this they would want to be in the City.
There isn't anywhere in the CBD where Apple can build a 3-story glass cube! The pictures look great! Shame it's probably a few years before opening. Did anyone pick up on the "666 car spaces"! I wonder if Apple had anything to do with that...
They could have picked up an opportunity for their 3 storey glass cube on Spencer Street. The Age and old power station sites are being redeveloped soon. Spencer Street's being reborn and would be ideal wedged in between CBD and docklands.
I read a comment somewhere else speculating that perhaps the Chapel Street store won't be the first Melbourne store, given it's at least 3 years until the site is developed. So maybe there will be a CBD store first? Sydney's seems a lot further advanced afterall (ie the building exists).
I did notice the 666. Wondered how long before someone would mention it. If I'm not mistaken one of the apartment buildings across the road in the Como is at 666 Chapel Street too.
If this goes ahead, it will be about 300m from my flat .
However, this is an odd location - there is already a hotel directly opposite (Como). Going away from this location down Chapel Street in one direction there is another furniture shop, a billiard/pool hall, some serviced apartments and a gym - hardly retail heaven. Although there is a Lamborghini dealership at the end of the road..
In the other direction are retail shops, but Chapel St is primarily fashion and the target shopper is late-teenage / early 20's girls. Not exactly Apple customers (but it does make for a good night out on Friday / Saturday).
There is also an Apple retailer on Chapel St about 1km up from here.
I doubt Apple would build it here; for a flagship shop like this they would want to be in the City.
A few of us here live on or near Chapel...spooky.
Funny, I always thought of the corner of Chapel and Toorak as the epicentre of upmarket retail in Melbourne. The bit going up towards the river/Lambourghini is a bit sparse, but there's a lot of new developments planned for there soon. A couple more serviced apartment hotels and more retail/mixed use. Given the longish timelines it's probably a good spot to secure now.
It does seem an odd choice over CBD though, I agree.
Is Next Byte still there? I couldn't find it Saturday, assumed it must have closed.
They definitely should have chosen Spencer Street, like someone said. It's going to become a MAJOR attraction within 5-10 years, it's already shaping up amazingly. Docklands and Spencer will soon be as busy as Swanston.
I have to say the Melbourne community of Apple Insider has really surprised me this morning!
I've learned a lot about urban planning, and although this store is not planned for the CBD , a development of that description would really bring that end of Chapel Street up a notch. I can just imagine that intersection crammed with even more people. It's bad enough now with the traffic jams on weekends around midnight, trams, cars, drunks and apple fans. Haha, it'd be great.
But really, any apple store in Melbourne/Australia is a great idea and I don't mind where it is, anything from apple itself would beat the NextByte and MyMac stores, I really really don't like them, I always feel like I'm dealing with sleazy PC salesmen who just work in the apple store.
Had to stop lurking to post a reply given there's so many Melbourne folk on here!
I've lived on Chapel st for about 5 years down the St Kilda end, and yes there are plenty of wankers around the other end. Plenty of wankers with plenty of money who like to buy the latest designer outfit, shoes and digital lifestyle products.
Cnr of Chapel/Toorak is one of the busiest intersections in Melbourne. Don't forget the Melbourne CBD is rather dead on weekends, with the majority of retail activity localised in suburban shopping centres and major boutique streets like Chapel St.
Regardless all I can say is BRING IT ON! Im sick of shopping for Apple products in crap resellers with attitude!!
It seems the architectural renderings of this Fun Factory development with an Apple store were merely speculative on the part of the developer. Though choosing Apple, who have no retail presence in Australia, for their mock up seems a bit odd. Perhaps they knew Apple were scouting for potential sites and pitched their location. Maybe Apple have said no thanks, we're looking for a CBD site?
"An architect?s rendering of an office-residential-retail development in Melbourne (Australia) shows a prominent Apple store on the corner, but the project?s manager now says the drawings were speculative, and that the company has had no contact with Apple on the project. Henry Siwka of APN Property Group Ltd. said in an e-mail that the project is still in the early stages of development and that the company is, ?not ready to discuss any aspect of the development with any prospective owner/tenant for the site.? He explained, ?Whilst we would be delighted to have someone like Apple as our signature store, we have not been in touch with anyone from Apple Inc. with respect to this end.? He said the company obtained a permit from the Stonnington council to build a mixed-use project and, ?We are currently investigating all development options to optimize the site including the retail possibilities for this area.? He added that the area of Chapel Street and Toorak Road is a ?premier strip shopping precinct in Australia and we are very conscious of the brand image for this development.? Siwka concluded, ?The development is proceeding, and we anticipate finalization of design over the next half of the year, wherein we will be in a better position to discuss our plans.?
Comments
Haven't you heard? Only wankers buy Macs.
The PC and Mac guy ads made that quite clear.
Given that 96% of men and 78% of women are wankers you'd expect Mac to have a larger market share if your statement were correct...
However, this is an odd location - there is already a hotel directly opposite (Como). Going away from this location down Chapel Street in one direction there is another furniture shop, a billiard/pool hall, some serviced apartments and a gym - hardly retail heaven. Although there is a Lamborghini dealership at the end of the road..
In the other direction are retail shops, but Chapel St is primarily fashion and the target shopper is late-teenage / early 20's girls. Not exactly Apple customers (but it does make for a good night out on Friday / Saturday).
There is also an Apple retailer on Chapel St about 1km up from here.
I doubt Apple would build it here; for a flagship shop like this they would want to be in the City.
There isn't anywhere in the CBD where Apple can build a 3-story glass cube! The pictures look great! Shame it's probably a few years before opening. Did anyone pick up on the "666 car spaces"! I wonder if Apple had anything to do with that...
They could have picked up an opportunity for their 3 storey glass cube on Spencer Street. The Age and old power station sites are being redeveloped soon. Spencer Street's being reborn and would be ideal wedged in between CBD and docklands.
I read a comment somewhere else speculating that perhaps the Chapel Street store won't be the first Melbourne store, given it's at least 3 years until the site is developed. So maybe there will be a CBD store first? Sydney's seems a lot further advanced afterall (ie the building exists).
I did notice the 666. Wondered how long before someone would mention it. If I'm not mistaken one of the apartment buildings across the road in the Como is at 666 Chapel Street too.
If this goes ahead, it will be about 300m from my flat
However, this is an odd location - there is already a hotel directly opposite (Como). Going away from this location down Chapel Street in one direction there is another furniture shop, a billiard/pool hall, some serviced apartments and a gym - hardly retail heaven. Although there is a Lamborghini dealership at the end of the road..
In the other direction are retail shops, but Chapel St is primarily fashion and the target shopper is late-teenage / early 20's girls. Not exactly Apple customers (but it does make for a good night out on Friday / Saturday).
There is also an Apple retailer on Chapel St about 1km up from here.
I doubt Apple would build it here; for a flagship shop like this they would want to be in the City.
A few of us here live on or near Chapel...spooky.
Funny, I always thought of the corner of Chapel and Toorak as the epicentre of upmarket retail in Melbourne. The bit going up towards the river/Lambourghini is a bit sparse, but there's a lot of new developments planned for there soon. A couple more serviced apartment hotels and more retail/mixed use. Given the longish timelines it's probably a good spot to secure now.
It does seem an odd choice over CBD though, I agree.
Is Next Byte still there? I couldn't find it Saturday, assumed it must have closed.
I've learned a lot about urban planning, and although this store is not planned for the CBD , a development of that description would really bring that end of Chapel Street up a notch. I can just imagine that intersection crammed with even more people. It's bad enough now with the traffic jams on weekends around midnight, trams, cars, drunks and apple fans. Haha, it'd be great.
But really, any apple store in Melbourne/Australia is a great idea and I don't mind where it is, anything from apple itself would beat the NextByte and MyMac stores, I really really don't like them, I always feel like I'm dealing with sleazy PC salesmen who just work in the apple store.
Keep up the Australian news!
....I always feel like I'm dealing with sleazy PC salesmen who just work in the apple store....
Yeah just wait to when you have to deal with the *REAL* Apple Official Store salesmen 8)
Keep up the Australian news!
Glad to see this Australian news bringing the aussies on these here forums out of the woodwork.
BTW no, I don't consider myself aussie, or malaysian, or whatever.
All these different citizen rules and residency and work visas and stuff...
By now we should have access to United Nations passports/visas
Since the UN sucks though , maybe we could start getting AppleInsider Passports? Hmmm...
Global government. Scary but it could work (??) Or maybe in 20 years if /if not the Middle East gets Nuked back to the Stone Age.
I've lived on Chapel st for about 5 years down the St Kilda end, and yes there are plenty of wankers around the other end. Plenty of wankers with plenty of money who like to buy the latest designer outfit, shoes and digital lifestyle products.
Cnr of Chapel/Toorak is one of the busiest intersections in Melbourne. Don't forget the Melbourne CBD is rather dead on weekends, with the majority of retail activity localised in suburban shopping centres and major boutique streets like Chapel St.
Regardless all I can say is BRING IT ON! Im sick of shopping for Apple products in crap resellers with attitude!!
"An architect?s rendering of an office-residential-retail development in Melbourne (Australia) shows a prominent Apple store on the corner, but the project?s manager now says the drawings were speculative, and that the company has had no contact with Apple on the project. Henry Siwka of APN Property Group Ltd. said in an e-mail that the project is still in the early stages of development and that the company is, ?not ready to discuss any aspect of the development with any prospective owner/tenant for the site.? He explained, ?Whilst we would be delighted to have someone like Apple as our signature store, we have not been in touch with anyone from Apple Inc. with respect to this end.? He said the company obtained a permit from the Stonnington council to build a mixed-use project and, ?We are currently investigating all development options to optimize the site including the retail possibilities for this area.? He added that the area of Chapel Street and Toorak Road is a ?premier strip shopping precinct in Australia and we are very conscious of the brand image for this development.? Siwka concluded, ?The development is proceeding, and we anticipate finalization of design over the next half of the year, wherein we will be in a better position to discuss our plans.?
http://www.ifoapplestore.com/2007/02...t-yet-a-store/