First look at Apple's new Palo Alto retail store

Posted:
in General Discussion edited January 2014
Apple on Saturday opened the doors to its brand new store in Palo Alto, Calif., located just a few miles from the company's corporate headquarters.

Palo Alto


The new Apple Store on 340 University Drive in Palo Alto drew a large crowd for its grand reopening Saturday at 10 a.m. local time. The new location has replaced the old store which was located just down the street.

The new store has about 15,000 square feet of retail space and an all-glass front that is a trademark feature of Apple's retail locations. AppleInsider readers Ben and Gavin were onhand for Saturday's festivities, and Gavin described the location as "massive."

Palo Alto


The original Apple Store in Palo Alto was noteworthy because it was the local store of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs. Jobs himself would sometimes appear at the store for product launches, including the debut of the first iPad in 2010.

Thanks to AppleInsider reader Ben for the included photos.

Palo Alto


Palo Alto
«134

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 61
    If these photos belong to "Ben and Gavin" their proper names should be on the copyright notice, not AppleInsider.
  • Reply 2 of 61
    cindercinder Posts: 381member
    Steve would never . . . have let that ugly glass seam run right through the apple logo.
    Maybe.
  • Reply 3 of 61


    Originally Posted by cinder View Post

    Steve would never . . . have let that ugly glass seam run right through the apple logo.


     


    Did at the 5th Avenue store. And you can tell these images were taken with an iPhone.


     


    … they're solid walls of purple.

  • Reply 4 of 61
    boredumbboredumb Posts: 1,418member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by cinder View Post



    Steve would never . . . have let that ugly glass seam run right through the apple logo.

    Maybe.


    Well, it only "appears" to, they aren't on the same panel.


    But I agree it would look better if it didn't "appear" that way.

  • Reply 5 of 61

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by cinder View Post



    Steve would never . . . have let that ugly glass seam run right through the apple logo.

    Maybe.


     


    I think you're right. He would've made them turn those two front glass panels into one huge, heavy glass panel.

  • Reply 6 of 61


    I wonder what the air conditioning design is like with the sun beating down in the middle of summer.


    I LOL'd at your purple haze comment TS

  • Reply 7 of 61


    Originally Posted by GadgetCanada View Post

    I wonder what the air conditioning design is like with the sun beating down in the middle of summer.


     


    Imagine how loud it will be when it rains.

  • Reply 8 of 61
    solipsismxsolipsismx Posts: 19,566member
    Is this one of the new "designs"? If so, what's different about the internal setup of the store? IOW, what changes can we expect with their other retail outlets?
  • Reply 9 of 61
    In other news, Microsoft will build a new store in Palo Alto closer to the new Apple Store, with similar signage, materials, and architecture.
  • Reply 10 of 61
    apple ][apple ][ Posts: 9,233member
    Has Apple started building their new spaceship campus? And when is it supposed to be completed?
  • Reply 11 of 61


    Nice. But I do wonder sometimes if they've completely forgotten they're in a highly active seismic zone, or maybe just in denial? As nice as it is, it's one place I wouldn't want to be when a good sized earthquake hits… I wonder, what magnitude will it have to be before it starts raining glass in there?


     


    Nevertheless, a very interesting design. They seem to be evolving it in small, incremental steps, keeping it attractive and functional… seems like a good balance of customers to staff as well. Maybe the rumors about "staff thinning" were a bit overblown?


     


    Is this a 'prototype' for future stores?

  • Reply 12 of 61
    apple ][apple ][ Posts: 9,233member
    solipsismx wrote: »
    Is this one of the new "designs"? If so, what's different about the internal setup of the store? IOW, what changes can we expect with their other retail outlets?

    Is it supposed to be any different? Just judging by the pictures, it looks like any other Apple store.

    I also saw a few pictures from Microsoft's temporary store in Times Square for their tablet launch, and it really is pathetic how everybody is trying so hard to be Apple now.
  • Reply 13 of 61

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by tribalogical View Post


    Nice. But I do wonder sometimes if they've completely forgotten they're in a highly active seismic zone, or maybe just in denial? As nice as it is, it's one place I wouldn't want to be when a good sized earthquake hits… I wonder, what magnitude will it have to be before it starts raining glass in there?


     


    Nevertheless, a very interesting design. They seem to be evolving it in small, incremental steps, keeping it attractive and functional… seems like a good balance of customers to staff as well. Maybe the rumors about "staff thinning" were a bit overblown?


     


    Is this a 'prototype' for future stores?



    I presume there are buildings codes that must be adhered to, and these hopefully take earthquakes into account?


     


    I'd be interested to know how all that light coming in through the ceiling affects the viewing experience of the screens? Is there a lot of glare or direct sunlight?

  • Reply 14 of 61
    solipsismxsolipsismx Posts: 19,566member
    "Apple wrote:
    [" url="/t/153818/first-look-at-apples-new-palo-alto-retail-store#post_2221043"]
    Is it supposed to be any different? Just judging by the pictures, it looks like any other Apple store.

    I don't know if it's suppose to be but over the past year or so we've heard about a new style store coming.
  • Reply 15 of 61
    isaidsoisaidso Posts: 750member
    Guess they're are really running with that NYC UWS store design.
  • Reply 16 of 61
    I'll miss the old store. It was, ironically, located in the old Swain's House of Music... hence the mosaic lyre in front of the entrance.
  • Reply 17 of 61

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Tallest Skil View Post


     


    Did at the 5th Avenue store. And you can tell these images were taken with an iPhone.


     


    … they're solid walls of purple.



     


    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Tallest Skil View Post


     


    Imagine how loud it will be when it rains.



    Does that mean in the summer, the store ceiling is beat with Purple Rain?

  • Reply 18 of 61
    All I can think of, is how hot its gonna get in there at noon, with that glass roof.
  • Reply 19 of 61

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by MacinTek View Post



    I'll miss the old store. It was, ironically, located in the old Swain's House of Music... hence the mosaic lyre in front of the entrance.


     


    Wow:


    http://archives.pahistory.org/cdm4/item_viewer.php?CISOROOT=/PAHA&CISOPTR=1352&CISOBOX=1&REC=2


     


    And before the line waiters and Greenpeacers:


    http://archives.pahistory.org/cdm4/item_viewer.php?CISOROOT=/PAHA&CISOPTR=32&CISOBOX=1&REC=3

  • Reply 20 of 61

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post

    The original Apple Store in Palo Alto was noteworthy because it was the local store of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs. Jobs himself would sometimes appear at the store for product launches, including the debut of the first iPad in 2010.


     


    Link to the post in 2010 is dead. (even after removing the extra code at the end of the URL)

Sign In or Register to comment.