Apple has announced the grand opening of its Apple Store North Michigan Avenue in Chicago on Friday, June 27th from 6pm – 11pm. Apple will be offering free t-shirts to the first 1,000 people.
Apple’s website states, “We?ve taken everything that we learned from our other stores and designed the ultimate Apple Store especially for you. The store is filled with the full range of Apple products and accessories, including the entire iPod family and a selection of digital cameras, camcorders and other products. We even put in the first-ever Apple Store Internet Caf� with 16 computers for you to check your email and experience the Mac at your own pace.”
More info here.
WOoo hoo! That’s just up the street from me!
I’ve watched them tear down the old GAP flagship store, after trying to remodel it for the new Apple Store. They’ve built this one from the ground up.
In its current state, its a bit ugly though, but I’m glad to have it after wrangling with CompUSA up the street on Chicago/Rush. The exterior looks a bit plain, but I suppose it blends in with the conservative architechure and signage on the Magnificant Mile.
The Apple guy in CompUSA.. I wonder if he’ll remain there? He’s really turned that store around, in terms of building a respectable Apple presence in the last year or so.
I would definitely agree with you that the CompUSA store on Chicago/Rush has improved considerably over the past year. Can’t wait for opening day, though – man is the crowd going to be HUGE!
That’s going to be a big weekend overall (Grant Park Music Fest, Pride, Taste of Chicago) so that’s going to bring an incredible amount of foot traffic.
I won’t be able to stand in line for t-shirts, but will try to go back after the initial tornado.
Hey deepkid,
How long are they building this store?
I visited the site in summer 2001 and they had just started to tear down the GAP store. (They had the windows painted over but there was 2 small apple logo stickers on the front doors)
Its been a very long time in the making. BTW, the consensus is that some rabid Apple fan put the stickers on the old doors of the GAP building hehehe.
We moved our office from around Chicago/Rush to where we are now around July 2001 and they were working on that store.
I believe that Apple was trying to modify the existing GAP structure in such a way that must have violated Chicago ordinances. Michigan Avenue has some very strict rules about signage, construction, etc. so that wouldn’t suprise me if it was true.
I go into the Comp USA and speak with the Apple guy every blue moon and he told me about a month or two ago that the Michigan Avenue store would be special and I said well damn, it’d better considering how long it took to get built!
Apple couldn’t have secured a more prominent location for its store. Sony Gallery achors the south corner, Niketown is in the Middle, Apple has the north corner, Express/Structure is across the street, Crate & Barrell, Virgin Megastore and the flagship GAP store are down the street, Sak’s Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, Disney Store, Water Tower Place, Bloomingdale’s and the John Hancock building are all north of it on Mich. Ave.
I can’t wait.
In the Apple stores I frequent in my area – northern NJ – it may not be called “Apple Store Internet Caf�” but you are welcome to play with any of the displays in the stores and even access your email from them. The stores have always welcomed the patrons to play and explore. Is the Chicago store offering up something different?
To Anna, my guess is coffee…
Now Stevey Jobs has someplace to take his black-turleneck wearing self to in the mid-west (his own little beatnik utopia)… the big question is will it earn a profit. Every extra sq ft of space requires more sales, and I don’t believe, at the moment, any of the stores are earning their keep. I’m sure Jobs is writing off the loss as brand-imaging for now… wonder how long he can keep it up. Eventually, one of the stores will have to close (it happens in every retail corp.) and then it’ll hurt Apple’s image (the mainstream press will be hungry for something like this.)