First Canadian Apple Store confirmed for Yorkdale Shopping Center

Posted:
in General Discussion edited January 2014
Exclusive - Canadian Apple fans seeking a hands-on shopping experience will have to look no further than the Yorkdale Shopping Center come mid-2005.



Canada's first Apple retail store will touch down in the Yorkdale Shopping Center in Toronto, Ontario, AppleInsider positively confirmed on Wednesday. The store is set to open by the Summer of 2005.



Previous reports had noted a finalized agreement between Apple and the mall's leasing agency, though it was unclear if the store would be the first open; sources have also reported that Apple plans to launch a store in the newly constructed Vaughan Mills Mall.



The 1.6-million-square-foot Yorkdale Shopping Center is home to other flagship outlets such as the Sony Store, and ranks as the third largest shopping centre in Canada. Apple and JRoss Retail Recruiters, Canada?s leading retail recruiting specialist, are now working side-by-side to carefully select a team of Mac enthusiasts to staff the store.



In a message posted to potential applicants, Apple asked, "Would you rather be in the front row of a MacWorld keynote speech than have free cable TV for a year? Do customer compliments make you beam like a proud parent? Does new technology make your jaw drop? Are you okay with helping to change the world?"



"Yeah ? us, too," the company answered. "We?re Apple Retail, and we?re changing the way people shop for technology. And, we?re changing where they do it."



Earlier this month, an e-mail sent to employees and members of the Canadian Apple reseller channel announced that an Apple branded retail store location would open in Toronto in 2005, but provided no further details.



If recently uncovered internal documents are of any guidance, Canadians can expect up to four Apple retail stores to turn up in shopping malls over the next 24 months.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 15
    frank777frank777 Posts: 5,839member
    It's about time.



    I think the smart independent stores will see this as a plus, since the Yorkdale location doesn't actually encroach on anyone's turf. A Square One or Sherway Gardens location would have sent the retailers howling.
  • Reply 2 of 15
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Frank777

    It's about time.



    I think the smart independent stores will see this as a plus, since the Yorkdale location doesn't actually encroach on anyone's turf. A Square One or Sherway Gardens location would have sent the retailers howling.




    Fully agreed, though I don't know if a Square One or Sherway Gardens location would cause the Toronto-area retailers any serious grief -- they'd still be too far away from the downtown core and central Toronto, which is where most of the Mac retailers are situated.



    I remember talk of an Apple Store showing up in Yorkville or in the Eaton Centre. That would send the retailers howling, for sure.
  • Reply 3 of 15
    frank777frank777 Posts: 5,839member
    I was thinking of the Westenders - DPImac, CompuSmart and Red Tag - all in Mississauga.



    As for the downtown gang, they serve a high end market - law offices, advertising agencies, film companies. It's only a matter of time before Apple decides to eat their lunch. The Eaton Centre, or a stand-alone downtown location will definitely come.
  • Reply 4 of 15
    satchmosatchmo Posts: 2,699member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Frank777

    It's only a matter of time before Apple decides to eat their lunch.



    Eating Computer Systems Centre can't come soon enough. The smug attitude of the owners of that dealership has gone on far too long.
  • Reply 5 of 15
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Frank777

    I was thinking of the Westenders - DPImac, CompuSmart and Red Tag - all in Mississauga.





    Have you been to DPI? What are they like? I've thought of paying those guys a visit for a while.



    Quote:



    As for the downtown gang, they serve a high end market - law offices, advertising agencies, film companies. It's only a matter of time before Apple decides to eat their lunch. The Eaton Centre, or a stand-alone downtown location will definitely come.





    I've thought about that, and I originally thought about how the Apple Store would cater to the same crowd of people who'd be bugging their parents to buy them a pink iPod mini with their Gap Jeans, but I remember hearing from the owner of one Mac dealer in my neighbourhood about how Apple's been aggressively going after clients usually serviced by long-time dealers, usually through undercutting them behind their backs.



    But apparently, that sort of thing is pretty common. That same guy told me an awful story about how one small dealer was going to seal a deal with a school to sell them Panasonic DV equipment for their AV department, but then got undercut and pushed out by Panasonic itself.



    I guess that in the end, it'll be the familiarity factor that will count if and when Apple decides to try and take the whole market here for itself.
  • Reply 6 of 15
    mikefmikef Posts: 698member
    Quite simply, small(er) dealers will just have to adapt to having an Apple Store in the same city. Do the smaller dealers in US cities that have Apple Stores complain too?
  • Reply 7 of 15
    Isn't there an Apple store in Vancouver? How can this be the first Apple store in Canada?
  • Reply 8 of 15
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Gene Clean

    Isn't there an Apple store in Vancouver? How can this be the first Apple store in Canada?



    What about Montreal? The closest independent Apple store is way north of downtown. There were no iMacs on display downtown until early this month.
  • Reply 9 of 15
    I hate to say it, but I can't help but think that Apple's encroaching on 3rd-party retailers would be a good thing in Canada. Sure, there's Carbon Computing, but as a general rule most Mac stores in Canada seem to be small shops that may have Apple-authorized service and may have stock of whatever it is you're looking for.



    Official Apple stores in Canada might take the fire out of the 3rd-party resellers... but at least you'd be able to go to a place you know won't disappear overnight, will carry everything you're looking for as soon as it's available, and will be able to fix or replace your Mac/iPod.



    Oh, and if any Apple reps are looking at this... please put in a word for an Apple store in Ottawa! The situation here is fairly dire: B.Mac went out of business, and most of the resellers Apple lists are actually music/photo shops. Not exactly your first choice for computer support.
  • Reply 10 of 15
    frank777frank777 Posts: 5,839member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Gene Clean

    Isn't there an Apple store in Vancouver? How can this be the first Apple store in Canada?



    There's no Apple Store in Vancouver.
  • Reply 11 of 15
    well, I guess you're right. A friend of mine told me that there actually was an Apple store, but I guess he meant an Apple-only retailer store.



    The link: http://www.macstation.com/retailstores/Store.html
  • Reply 12 of 15
    Tag another vote for OTTAWA !



    The population is > 1 million for the region and far enough away from Montreal (obvious place for a store, why the delay?) and Toronto.



    Also the population is generally higher income and technology focussed.



    I'll even offer to manage the store!



    -lb
  • Reply 13 of 15
    Quote:

    Originally posted by rampancy

    Have you been to DPI? What are they like? I've thought of paying those guys a visit for a while.





    DPI (Digital Prototypes) is a great Mac shop! It's not huge or anything, but the staff there are top-notch... knowledgable and very friendly.
  • Reply 14 of 15
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Laughingboy

    Tag another vote for OTTAWA !



    I'll even offer to manage the store!



    -lb




    Nono! That's far too great a sacrifice to ask of any man! Don't worry! I'll fall on that grenade for you!



    I won't even ask for relocation expenses, just give me first dibs all the new toys.
  • Reply 15 of 15
    Here are the positions currently being filled. LINK!

    Once management is hired they'll probably be shipped to the mothership for reprogramming then they'll have a massive cattle-call in April or May for sales staff.
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