Apple to unveil new retail store design features

Posted:
in General Discussion edited January 2014
Apple Computer plans to introduce new design features at its retail stores later this month, the company said Wednesday.



The new design features will draw from Apple's new Fifth Avenue store, which is built in a former underground parking garage with a 32-foot glass structure above ground featuring the Apple logo, according to the San Francisco Business Times.



"It's an upgrade," Ron Johnson, senior vice president of retail at Apple told those attending ThinkEquity Partners' investment conference Wednesday in San Francisco, Calif.



It's reported that the new elements will be unveiled Sept. 23 at new stores in Providence, R.I. and Columbia, Md.



Apple is the nation's fastest growing retailer, opening a new store on average of once every nine days, Johnson said. He added that the company expects to open 40 stores annually for the foreseeable future.



Earlier this week, Apple welcomed its one-millionth visitor to its 24/7 Fifth Avenue store, which opened less than four months ago.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 25
    This is part of Apple's thinking I've always liked. They find out what is working with something and play it up to the hilt.



    I'm gonna guess it's a larger Genius Bar. Any takers?
  • Reply 2 of 25
    Ahhh, that's why Providence is taking so long, it was supposed to open in July, I guess there have been "complications". It's already listed in the directory as existing.
  • Reply 3 of 25
    The thing I was really suprised about when I saw the new Cube Store floorplan was lack of a theater. I think that is the next obvious step.
  • Reply 4 of 25
    I think the upgrades (that will probably begin happening to many other Apple stores) will include expansion for iTV, such as giant plasma tvs to demo it and mock living room spaces.

    8)
  • Reply 5 of 25
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by McHuman


    I think the upgrades (that will probably begin happening to many other Apple stores) will include expansion for iTV, such as giant plasma tvs to demo it and mock living room spaces.

    8)



    Good call. Sounds reasonable.
  • Reply 6 of 25
    That's possible... I don't think they'll dedicate that much space to a totally unproven product just yet... Remember with iTunes and iPod (which were new concepts for consumers at the time), the rollout and growth of the service and products were slow but steady. Believe it or not, most consumers have no idea how these things work, and don't care. If it does not do what they expect it to do immediately, they'll return it.
  • Reply 7 of 25
    feynmanfeynman Posts: 1,087member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by SpamSandwich


    That's possible... I don't think they'll dedicate that much space to a totally unproven product just yet... Remember with iTunes and iPod (which were new concepts for consumers at the time), the rollout and growth of the service and products were slow but steady. Believe it or not, most consumers have no idea how these things work, and don't care. If it does not do what they expect it to do immediately, they'll return it.



    To be honest I think Apple did not put a lot of hype into the iPod when it was annonced because I honestly think they did not even know it would get this big.



    I could totally imagine Apple having a mock livingroom to show off the iTV product. After all why wouldn't they want to show off the product to it's full potential?
  • Reply 8 of 25
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Feynman


    I could totally imagine Apple having a mock livingroom to show off the iTV product. After all why wouldn't they want to show off the product to it's full potential?



    That's a reasonable expectation since Jobs insists they are now part of the living room experience.
  • Reply 9 of 25
    feynmanfeynman Posts: 1,087member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by SpamSandwich


    That's a reasonable expectation since Jobs insists they are now part of the living room experience.



    Yeah. Besides, it would be ultra cool and people would crowd around it like crazy. It would draw major attention. Maybe they would create a new partition (like how the have Movies, Music, Photo, etc) maybe make one called "Living Room" or "home" or something.
  • Reply 10 of 25
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AppleInsider


    Apple is the nation's fastest growing retailer, opening a new store on average of once every nine days



    w00+! a new store every 9 days on average. that is an impressive number.
  • Reply 11 of 25
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,510member
    I'm not sure they could devote the floor space to a demo area like that. The reason they are getting rid of the theaters, is because they need the space for demo tables, and selling space.



    I've mentioned this before, but it's an example of the "problem" Apple faces in its more popular markets.



    When the SoHo store opened in NYC, it had one selling area on the first floor left to the entrance.



    Then they had to add another smaller one in the iPod area, on the second floor.



    Then they had to add another one opposite the iPod station on the second floor.



    With the new store in the GM plaza, you would think that visitors, and sales, in the SoHo store would be down quite a bit. Not so!



    They are almost as busy as they were before.
  • Reply 12 of 25
    eckingecking Posts: 1,588member
    I swear another canadian store was set to open up after the second one but i don't know if it happened. hmm.
  • Reply 13 of 25
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,510member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by ecking


    I swear another canadian store was set to open up after the second one but i don't know if it happened. hmm.



    I didn't check for it right now, but this is the place to find out:





    http://www.ifoapplestore.com/index.php
  • Reply 14 of 25
    eckingecking Posts: 1,588member
    Thanks man that site linked me to this one:



    http://www.apple.com/ca/retail/sherw.../20060903.html



    So it looks like it did open, it was sept 2, nice this one is actually close to me, I'll probably go on fri.
  • Reply 15 of 25
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by McHuman


    I think the upgrades (that will probably begin happening to many other Apple stores) will include expansion for iTV, such as giant plasma tvs to demo it and mock living room spaces.

    8)



    Yes... Apple 50" Plasma Monitors. With built in i-Sight.
  • Reply 16 of 25
    jeffdmjeffdm Posts: 12,951member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by skitzogreg


    Yes... Apple 50" Plasma Monitors. With built in i-Sight.



    Now they can be used to nag you to exercise while watching.
  • Reply 17 of 25
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by ecking


    I swear another canadian store was set to open up after the second one but i don't know if it happened. hmm.



    yeah, it opened a couple weekends ago at Sherway Gardens Mall in Etobicoke. A friend of mine was at the opening - said it was great. I live a lot closer to the one at Yorkdale, so I doubt I'll visit the new store soon.



    It's great to see the stores so busy, though!
  • Reply 18 of 25
    a_greera_greer Posts: 4,594member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Feynman


    To be honest I think Apple did not put a lot of hype into the iPod when it was annonced because I honestly think they did not even know it would get this big.



    Steve Jobs said that pretty much on CNBC the other day; something like "the number of iPods grows by leaps and bounds every quarter, we dont know when it will stop or slow, we prety much fly by the seat of our pants because we have never had this level of success with anything before; we are in uncharted territory with the ipod line."
  • Reply 19 of 25
    a_greera_greer Posts: 4,594member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AppleInsider




    Earlier this week, Apple welcomed its one-millionth visitor to its 24/7 Fifth Avenue store, which opened less than four months ago.



    Were there prizes? balloons? confeti? cake and coffee? noise makers?
  • Reply 20 of 25
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,510member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by JeffDM


    Now they can be used to nag you to exercise while watching.



    Very 1984ish. Big Brother is watching.
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