“Apple is gearing up to open its third store in Beijing on the famous Wangfujing shopping street,” Josh Ong reports for TNW. “Taking the title as the largest store in Asia, the three-story location demonstrates Apple’s heavy investment to court the Chinese market.”

“The Next Web (in conjunction with the Beijinger) attended a media preview on Thursday where Apple Senior Vice President John Browett discussed the company’s commitment to China,” Ong repots. “Browett went so far as to say that, in his opinion, the new location is the best store Apple has built in Asia so far. That would presumably take the unofficial title from the IFC Hong Kong store, which was Apple’s most expensive store to date when it opened last year. It also surpasses a Shanghai store that was formerly the largest in China.”

Ong reports, “Apple says it is staffing the Wangufjing location with 300 retail employees, bringing the total number in Beijing to more than 800… Beyond Shenzhen, Apple is already planning more stores in other cities. Browett says the company’s goal is to eventually serve ‘every customer in every city’ but he admitted that it’s going to take ‘some time.’”

Read more in the full article here.

MacDailyNews Take: Next week John plans to cut the staff by 10%, eliminate all overtime and promotions, and make each remaining employee pay a monthly fee for their badges. Just kidding… we hope.

Related articles:
After being Browettized, Apple Retail touts numbers – August 20, 2012
Apple newbie John Browett brings Dixons to Apple Retail Stores – August 17, 2012
Dear Tim Cook: Apple’s retail focus should be on delighting customers, not generating cash – August 16, 2012
Apple Retail Store chief Browett: ‘We messed up’ with Dixons-eque staffing gamble; refutes layoffs – August 16, 2012
Apple retail chief Browett to get $56 million golden hello – May 27, 2012
Apple grants 100,000 shares to new retail head John Browett – April 25, 2012
Tim Cook emails UK customer: John Browett’s role isn’t to bring Dixons to Apple Retail – February 1, 2012
Eyebrows raised over Apple’s hiring of Dixons CEO to run Apple Retail Stores – January 31, 2012
Apple hires Dixons CEO John Browett as new retail chief – January 31, 2012

Apple Inc.: The most profitable retailer in America – August 15, 2012
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