The new vision
… for Apple’s stores. Plus, new and improved Wi-Fi.
Apple has revealed its new ideal for what Apple Stores should be, starting with the opening of a new store in Union Square, San Francisco, not far from Apple’s Cupertino HQ. It still looks a lot like the stores of the past, full of long wooden tables showing off Apple’s products, with accessories lining the walls, and a large glass front keeping everything light and airy – but it’s focusing even more on openness. The store’s front is constructed of 42-feet-tall glass walls, and the central two panels can split apart, opening a huge walkway into the ground floor. At the back of the store is a rejuvenated outdoor area known as “The Plaza,” a public area open 24 hours a day, that provides free Wi-Fi and seating for anyone who wants to use it, and where Apple will arrange for musicians to play.
The idea is that Apple wants Apple Stores to become more a part of the community than ever. “We are not just evolving
our store design, but its purpose and greater role in the community,” said Angela Ahrendts, senior VP of Retail and Online Stores. Apple’s intention is make the store a gathering place, and make it welcoming by removing doors, linking the inside directly to the square that houses it. “It all starts with the storefront – taking transparency to a whole new level – where the building blends the inside and the outside, breaking down barriers and making it more egalitarian and accessible,” said Jony Ive.
There are changes in what you’ll find in the store. The Genius Bar is replaced by a Genius Grove, where Apple staff sit alongside customers at tables to help them, flanked by real trees inside the store. “The Avenue” will be an area of large displays, showing Apple products, with special staff to offer expertise in creative areas. “The Forum” will be an area indoors for people to gather, where Apple will invite guests to share knowledge, from developers, to entrepreneurs, to photographers. “The Boardroom” is a room where small businesses can get personalized advice and training from Apple’s experts.
Not all of these features will make it to every store (Apple plans to have more Plazas, for example, but only in certain flagship stores), and some will be scaled back as they go to smaller stores, but we’re fans of the accessible, community-focused direction Apple is taking for these spaces.