ifoAppleStore has been busy gathering the latest news regarding Apple's retail stores worldwide. The site dealing with "news and information about Apple Inc.'s Retail Stores" particularly stresses out the situation of two US stores that have been downsized for modifications to their designs, as well as that of the Belfast Store, which is nearing completion.

Eaton Centre Cut-Down

"The Eaton Centre (Toronto) retail store has been reduced to less than one-half its original size as construction crews work behind the walls to overhaul the interior to the most current version," reports ifoAppleStore, which deals with news and information about Apple Inc.'s retail stores. "The store walls are now white-painted wood instead of the usual stainless steel, and the busy store is crowded with visitors." And busy it is! Check out the image above for visual proof (click to enlarge).

Allegedly, some of the employees have been sent to work at the Yorkdale and Sherway Gardens, in light of these structural modifications occurring to the Eaton Centre Store.

Seattle Store Downsize

"The University Village (Seattle) store is operating at half-size during construction that may involve more than just an interior design make-over," the same news source was reporting yesterday. "Like the Eaton Centre (Toronto) store, plywood walls were erected last week to allow construction workers access to the side walls, ceiling and rear wall of the existing store."

However, the reasons for the downsizing of the store are a tad different here. According to other reports, the work seemingly involves adding a second-floor access to the store. This is either going to be a new retail space of the store, or a storage room to stack all those shiny Apple products. The current status of the store is pictured left (just as crowded as the Eaton Centre Store).

Belfast Store Nearing Completion

"Construction on the future Victoria Square (Belfast) Apple store has taken major strides since it was first identified by tipsters last November," reads another ifoAppleStore post dated Aug 17, 2008. Stuart, who provided the actual photos of the Victoria Square store under construction, has offered evidence that the interior of the store is almost finished, "and behind a construction barricade the all-glass façade has been erected". Space U5 in the upper ground-floor of the complex has been confirmed to be occupied by the new Apple Store. The Victoria Square (Belfast) store will be the first Apple Store to open its doors in Northern Ireland. According to the report, the opening will occur some time before the holidays.