Apple Inc. will hold not one, not two, but three Apple Retail Store Grand Opening celebrations this Saturday.
To celebrate the Grand Openings, Apple is featuring a week of exciting events. In each new store, Appel plans to have a variety of unique and educational presentations, demonstrations and workshops — all free of charge.
As usual, the first 1000 people to visit the Apple Store will receive a free Apple t-shirt.
Visitors can enter the Grand Opening Sweepstakes to win a Digital Lifestyle Collection valued at US$2224.95.
One Grand Prize winner will receive a black 13-inch 2.16GHz Intel Core Duo MacBook, one-year One to One membership, an iPod nano, iWork, one-year membership to .Mac, and an AppleCare Protection Plan for MacBook. Ten First Prize winners each will receive a one-year One to One membership.
• The Apple Store Orland Square will open to the public on Saturday, July 21, 2007 at 10am CDT:
Apple Store Orland Square
288 Orland Square
Orland Park, IL 60462
http://www.apple.com/retail/orlandsquare/
• The Apple Store Holyoke will open to the public on Saturday, July 21, 2007 at 10am EDT:
Apple Store Holyoke
50 Holyoke Street
Holyoke, MA 01040
http://www.apple.com/retail/holyoke/
• The Apple Store Briarwood will open to the public on Saturday, July 21, 2007 at 10am EDT:
Apple Store Briarwood
100 Briarwood Circle
Ann Arbor, MI 48108
http://www.apple.com/retail/briarwood/
Holyoke…? Not to disparage its fine citizens, but we’re talking pretty small city here. All of you in states that have no Apple Stores at all (Maine, Kentucky, West Virginia, South Carolina, and a bunch in the South and West) officially have the right to start complaining.
(But then, who ever heard of someone complaining about stuff on the internet…?)
—
(MW – except)
As a Brit living in Berlin, I’m not going to start this post with any sort of ‘What about continental Europe?’ stuff.
BUT. It seems Apple are opening ever more stores in the US and the UK and continental Europe is being virtually ignored.
Is this wise?
Population of the US = 301million.
Population of the EU = 456 million.
If you add the fact that the EU produces much more wealth than the US (in short there’s a lot more money there), and the fact that the disillusion with Microsoft is at least as widespread as in the US, then you might just come to the conclusion that, to use American grammar:-
APPLE IS MISSING OUT BIG!
Holyoke makes sense with 3 college’s within a short distance. I’m sure they have a target audience and students make up a big part of the group.
That would be Apple is missing out big time.
SOM, SO on the AA in AA.
(Those of you who this applies to know what it means. Normal, decent people may safely ignore this.)
I stand corrected.
But so do you:-
“That would be: ‘Apple is missing out big time’.”
I’m moving from Maryland to Louisiana in a few weeks… Not looking forward to moving to a state with no Apple stores… Closest thing will be a CompUSA in Baton Rouge… ew.
@ Charko…
Why should they spread themselves more thinly than they are?
Maybe you will have a point when Mac usage in the US is 25%. Until then it’s 6% plus and growing fast, and it’s needing to be fed with more outlets.
Well, Apple is a U.S. based company after all, and they make the overwhelming majority of their money from U.S. consumers. So it only stands to reason why their retail strategy is what it is today. Besides, it definitely seems to be working, so it’s hard to argue with it.
I lived in Louisiana myself for a few years, so I express my deepest sympathies to you. Maybe you can take a road trip to Houston every so often at least to get your Apple Store fix.
I’ve been so looking forward for the Orland Park opening. Think I’ll try to get a t-shirt.
hey when are they opening the next Microsoft store……ooops, i forgot, sorry. I meant to say I heard they’re NEVER opening a Microsoft store.
Smith.
Mt. Holyoke.
Amherst.
Are those the three on DaveMac‘s mind? Three modestly sized schools stuffed with wealthy kids? What about Zoo … I mean “U” … Mass, Amherst? Fewer wealthy kids, but a whole lot of well-to-do ones. Then there’s that “hippy” school … forget its name … Yeah, there are a few kids with spare change roaming around the Holyoke area.
That said … there are states out there without a store. And capitols in Europe and Asia, as well. A little (MW=) progress on those fronts would seem indicated.
DLMeyer – the Voice of G.L.Horton’s Stage Page Pod Cast
Apple Store Mall of Georgia opening date, anyone??
Ann Arbor is only about 120,000 people, but the University of iPod, er, Michigan, is located there, and just a short bus ride from campus.
Let’s get one in Tax-Free Portsmouth New Hampshire!! There’s enough money floating around the seacost region… Or maybe Kittery Maine (across the border from Tax-Free)! Portland would also be nice…
Mall of Georgia?
Is this a rumor or are you just being hopeful??!
MoG would be fantastic. Hall Co. and that area is growing like crazy.
Newmanstein, don’t you think it’s embarassing for us Georgians/Atlantans to have FOUR Apple Stores (counting the soon-to-open Mall of Georgia location) when some states have none. Let’s keep it to ourselves, and not add insult to injury, k?
MW: living, as in, I’m singing James Brown’s “Living in America”
@ @Newmanstein:
Official MoG building permit, on page 51: http://www.co.gwinnett.ga.us/departments/planning/pdf/bld20070604-08.pdf
Still waitin’ foh owah fihst stoh up heah. We have plenty of pahkin’.
@ Charko
The language and cultural barriers top the list. Apple will have stores throughout Europe, but it is a much slower process in training management, procedures, etc. To put a store in Paris, Munich, and Barcelona would be infinitely more costly than opening three stores in the US. You have 3 different languages and cultures. Apple just wants to cover its bases to ensure success in each market.
@Big Mac Attack
Speaking of language barriers, should start translating their software more. For example: Mac OS X has a finnish localization and so does iLife, but iWork doesn’t. Little consistency ain’t gonna hurt.
At least Mac OS X should see more translations, like russian and arabic.
Stronger Europian presence could do wonders, since Macs are still viewed as artist computers. Most people haven’t even heard of Macs.
MW: manner (the word “manner” in finnish translates to “continent” in english
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As a former Ann Arbor resident, I’m somewhat surprised by their choice of Briarwood Mall for the store.
Of course, I’m delighted they finally made it to Ann Arbor (though too late for me to benefit).
Ann Arbor has a very active downtown shopping area, and I would have expected the store there, such as at the corner of State and Liberty, next to (the original) Border’s bookstore, Starbuck’s, 2 movie theaters, and various restaurants, coffee shops, and bars. I’m no retail expert, but I would have expected more sales in the downtown location.
Just a thought…
Smith to wed,
Holyoke to bed.
I think we need more stores in Southern California. Why, I drove to work this morning and didn’t even see one Apple Store (of course, I turned a bit early…)
I am waiting for the store in the meat packing district to open.
I could do with some meat packing!!!!
I need somewhere to pack my sausage!
or even hide it!!!!!!!!!!