14 DAY TRIAL // Once every couple of days, news of an Apple retail store planning/opening/renovating hits the web. And Apple stores are no McDonald's restaurant, they are unique, architectural reference points, symbols of what Apple, as a high-end company, stands for. There are currently 173 retail stores worldwide, most of which in the US. Abroad, there are 9 in the United Kingdom, 7 in Japan, and 4 in Canada.
Starting this year, the Cupertino-based company has made clear its intentions of steadily growing their number of retail stores, especially beyond United States borders. In January, Sydney, Australia was confirmed as a future location for a retail store. Sources at AppleInsider spoke about a Melbourne flagship store, but Apple denied the rumor.
News this week spoke of yet another flagship store, in Germany. Apple has reportedly signed a deal for a five-flour Munich space that will become a four-story flagship retail shop, to be open during 2008. Sources say Apple plans to build five stores in Germany, other locations being Berlin and Frankfurt.
Peter Oppenheimer spoke during the Morgan Stanley Technology Conference about the company's intentions of opening more retail stores. He said they plan to open up to 40 new stores this year alone, 10 of which outside of US. The company also plans to renovate some of its older stores to keep them synchronized with innovations in their latest points of sale.
"In this last year, we've been investing in the stores, and I continue to see us wanting to do that to make them into a great place for customers," said Oppenheimer.
Apple stores worldwide are structured by solution zones for movies, photos, music, and kids. They sell Apple hardware and software and selected third-party accessories. All retail stores offer free workshops on Apple products. Apple has received various architectural distinctions and awards for their store designs. The SoHo location is the most appreciated one.
The opening of an Apple store is often an event for Mac users and not only. Thousands of visitors usually attend an opening, and the first thousand gets free Apple T-shirts and various bonuses and discounts.