A single Apple Retail Store is worth as much as the White House

“Which is more valuable: The White House or one single Apple store?” David Goldman asks for CNNMoney.

“It’s almost a tie. Apple sells an annual average of $4,709 worth of merchandise per square foot in its hundreds of stores across the world,” Goldman reports. “Meanwhile, the presidential mansion in Washington is valued at $4,752 per square foot, according to real estate website Zillow.”

“The tech giant’s sales-per-square-foot numbers put it in uncharted retail territory… It is by far the most valuable chain in the U.S. The runner-up, Tiffany’s, lags way behind. Tiffany’s averages $2,974 per square foot, according to industry publication RetailSails. That’s almost 40% less than Apple hauls in.”

Read more in the full article here.

MacDailyNews Take: From the Never-Live-It-Down file:

I give [Apple] two years before they’re turning out the lights on a very painful and expensive mistake.David Goldstein, Channel Marketing Corp. President, commenting on Apple’s opening of retail stores, May 21, 2001

[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Lynn Weiler” for the heads up.]

Related articles:
Apple’s retail juggernaut is magical and revolutionary in its own right – May 25, 2011
Apple Retail Stores hit 10th anniversary (with video of Steve Jobs’ tour of 1st store) – May 18, 2011
Apple Store: ‘The best damn retail experience in America!’ – December 2, 2010
Apple’s retail stores generate huge sales – December 27, 2007
Piper Jaffray finds ‘gravitational pull’ at Apple Retail Stores – November 26, 2007
Apple thinks different with cash register-less retail stores that bring in billions – November 23, 2007
Apple makes retail seem ridiculously easy – May 29, 2007
How Apple’s Steve Jobs is revolutionizing Manhattan retail – May 08, 2007
Fortune: Apple Inc. is America’s best retailer – March 08, 2007
How Apple Retail Stores beat Best Buy, Neiman Marcus, and Tiffany – December 19, 2006

31 Comments

    1. My understanding is O does not want to tax “success” in the way that Apple does it, by developing and innovation. But wants to tax such things and windfall profits from market gains of corporate losses or puts, inheritance and things that have nothing to do with development.. Pretty much the worse parts to Capitalism, a gambler’s lot, earning money by speculation. It’s money leeching. The people who earn that money are not contributing to society or the economy. It’s not like the money comes from thin air, for every winner, there is a looser, and that should be taxed, or so I have read.

    2. Oh, JP. I thought that you were one of the sane ones.

      The United States has both a deficit and a debt problem. The first step is to end the deficit spending by balancing the budget. Part of the solution involves significant cuts in overall spending, and even larger cuts in defense spending. Otherwise we will “defend” our country into oblivion. The second part of the solution involves a reasonable increase in tax revenue. All citizens should share this burden, and the wealthy will have to do their part. There will be no hiding behind labels such as “job creators” and the like. The Bush tax cuts imbalanced the distribution of taxation and, together with massive increases in the defense budget and two wars, pushed this country well along towards the brink. When Obama took office there were very few tools left in the Federal tool box to deal with the financial crisis and, afterwards, stimulate the economy out of a major recession. Interest rates were already rock bottom, the deficit was already high and growing, and the recession rapidly put millions out of work – a double whammy since that added the financial burden of unemployment on top of the loss of income and other payroll taxes.

      I stand with Obama on the need to combine tax revenue increases with spending reductions to rapidly cut the deficit so that we can actually begin thinking about attacking the accumulated national debt. I am willing to do my part, and I am disgusted that many of the wealthy are not.

      If we do not step up as a united country to address this crisis, then the wealthy are going down with the rest. Because stock holdings and cash and bonds and gold won’t be worth much when millions of people are fighting over scraps of food and anarchy supersedes the rule of law. The veneer of civilization is fragile and the patience of the masses is wearing thin. The “I’ve got mine” philosophy is a recipe for disaster.

    1. Hahahah….canadiens is Montreal’s hockey team. Canadians burned down the White house.

      Considering how bad the Canadiens are this season, they probably would fail in a re-enactment of burning the White house down 🙁

  1. The stores are a victim of their own success. The number of people typically leads to a muggy and odor-filled visit. I used to enjoy a visit, and now find myself avoiding the store unless I really need to get something there. Then it is an exercise in how quickly one can get in and out, an ordeal to be endured rather than the pleasant experience it once was. And I have 5 Apple Stores within easy driving distance. Maybe they ought to spend a little more on proper ventilation.

        1. I have not experienced an adverse environment in Apple Stores – neither odor nor humidity. Nor have I heard of a similar complaint from anyone else.

          Sometimes, especially during the holidays, the stores are so packed that I would prefer to defer my visit another time. But that is simply because I am not fond of standing room only crowds.

          If I wanted to be flippant, I’d suggest that maybe you bring the smell and humidity with you. Do you perspire copiously? Instead, I suggest that you report the unpleasant conditions to the store manager(s) so they can attempt to remedy the situation for the benefit of everyone, including Apple.

        2. KingMel, despite your preface to your third paragraph, the tone of your reply is not lost on me. I believe I broached this subject kindly where Apple is concerned. Your experiences notwithstanding, the unpleasant environment remains in some Stores even now. I don’t know where you shop, and I was sparing my local Store the embarrassment, but I am thinking specifically of the Store at Yorkdale in Toronto, though the Eaton Centre and Fairview Mall Stores have had the same problem as well. My wife won’t go into the Stores any more owing to the ‘atmosphere’. I mentioned to her that you “suggest that you report the unpleasant conditions to the store manager(s) so they can attempt to remedy the situation for the benefit of everyone, including Apple.” She I think rightly pointed out that the Store is not in the business of turning people away, so the problem will persist, unless they revamp their environmental setup. I have considered mentioning it to them, but I suspect they would not be amenable to the notion.

  2. David Goldman Staff Writer CNNMoney.com

    Columbia University in the City of New York
    B.A., History
    2001 – 2005

    The Jewish Theological Seminary
    B.A., Midrash
    2001 – 2005

    His mother would be so proud but, I’d have thought the study of philosophy would have included one course in logic.

  3. As of 10/27/2011 – over ten years later – David Goldstein remains President of Channel Marketing Corporation. This proves that idiots who rise far above their level of competence generally milk the system for all it’s worth before getting tossed out the window with a golden parachute. And the owners of the corporations are the ones that get screwed.

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