Apple Sets Grand Opening for First 2009 Store

Almost one year after it was scheduled to open, Apple has finally confirmed the opening date for its first retail store at Friendly Center Greensboro, North Carolina. Apple's Friendly Center store is set for a Grand Opening this weekend, Saturday, February 21.

According to an older ifoAppleStore report citing a mall marketing assistant, the store was “pending no last minute construction or permit delays.” Now, the source covering only Apple retail topics says that “the Apple retail store at the Friendly Center (Greensboro, NC) will hold its grand opening this Saturday at 10 a.m., the first new store of 2009. The company announced the event on the store’s Web page, almost one year after its scheduled opening,” reads the post. According to IFO, “it’s the fourth retail store for the state.”

As the older IFO report indicated, Apple had posted job listings for the store as early as November, 2007. Job listings for a North Carolina (Charlotte) store now show that Apple is looking only for a Home Based Agent.

“As an Apple HBA, you!ll [sic] be part of the Apple Revolution, working to make the customer experience as rewarding as the products themselves,” Apple says. “Your technical expertise supporting the Mac product line, your creativity and your innovation towards customer delight will help us help our customers as they strive to achieve their aspirations. As a company who!s [sic] motto is “think different”, our “work different” philosophy offers you the opportunity to work independently in your home office. You will receive all the wonderful benefits of working for an amazing company without ever leaving your home,” goes the job description.

The ideal candidate, Apple says, should be independent, creative, a team player, an excellent decision maker, accountable and tech-savvy, of course. Desired qualifications include:

• Previous experience in high tech customer service
•Flexibility to work varied shift on a 7 day schedule
•Analyze and resolve a wide variety of complex technical customer issues
•Exceptional written and verbal communication skills
• Leadership skills in an area of technical speciality
•Superior time management and prioritization skills
•Mac and Mac OS experience strongly preferred.

Those interested can check out workspace requirements and additional information on the HBA position for the Friendly Center store here. If you live in NC, don't miss out on the Grand Opening this Saturday. Apple usually hands free stuff, while the opening-experience alone is worth the trip to the store.