Apple Rushing Retail Store Renovations Ahead of iPhone 5 Launch

While Apple has received considerable publicity for its push to open dozens of new retail stores over the last three months, the company has also been renovating a number of its stores to bring them up to the latest designs. Most of these straightforward renovations result in the stores being closed for about a week, during which time they are boarded up with Apple's standard black construction barriers and posted with notices directing customers to either the closest alternative store location or to Apple's website for information on locations.

Among the locations currently under renovation in the lead-up to the iPhone launch:

chesnut street store closed att van
Chestnut Street retail store in San Francisco

- Chestnut Street (San Francisco, California): Closed September 26th through October 4th. 9to5Mac posted a photo yesterday showing the closed location with an AT&T worker and his van directly in front of the store.

university village store new layout
New layout of University Village retail store in Seattle

- University Village (Seattle, Washington): Closed September 26th through October 6th. GeekWire posted the details on the renovation, which include new display counters, Genius Bar, and other fixtures. Planning documents show Apple moving from a layout three product display tables wide to one using four narrower tables across the width of the store. The report also notes that Microsoft will be opening its own retail store directly across a small parking lot from Apple's store on October 20th, giving Apple additional incentive to spruce up the location.

walnut creek store closed
Walnut Creek retail store (Thanks, John)

- Walnut Creek (Walnut Creek, California): Closed September 26th through October 3rd. The location opened in 2003, but was remodeled back in August 2009.

At least two other stores, Biltmore in Phoenix, Arizona and Sagemore in Marlton, New Jersey, were closed for renovations last week and have since reopened for business.

Update: Apple's Legacy Place store in Dedham, Massachusetts is also closed September 26th through 30th.

Some readers have noted that all of the closures are for stores open to the street and not in enclosed malls and shopping centers. Consequently, the closures may be related to the installation of new security grating to help deter smash-and-grab robberies that have become increasingly common at Apple's street-facing stores. With the exception of the University Village store in Seattle, it is unclear if there are additional renovations being performed at the stores.

Top Rated Comments

starvingartist8 Avatar
150 months ago
Such a great new phone needs new stores and new layouts :)

Yeh :D I can't wait to see the new iPhone and watch it blow competition out of the water and protect its ideas to bits so no sheeping from samsung. All this new flashy retail stores all over the world I bet it just rubs lemon in the eyes of those haters out there. I bet some of them try to graffiti on it and get caught. Such a waste of life being an Apple hater. Unhealthy to be negative lol
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
bDoc Avatar
150 months ago
So are they making the stores thinner too? :D
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
tigres Avatar
150 months ago
Hey,
Don't forget Somerset :D
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Mr. Gates Avatar
150 months ago
Renovated ?

What, like some doilies on the Tables ?

Hang a few posters?

New light bulbs?

There ain't much to the Apple stores to begin with
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Widashy Avatar
150 months ago
If these stores are getting renovated, iPhone 5 must be huge. Can't wait:D
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
drumpat01 Avatar
150 months ago
UPV in Fort Worth, TX

University Park Village in Fort Worth, TX was closed last week as well for about 4 days.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iPhone 15 Pro Buttons CAD Leak

iPhone 15 Pro Leak Reveals Unified Volume Button and Mute Button

Monday March 20, 2023 8:33 am PDT by
As previously rumored, the next-generation iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max will feature a unified volume button and a mute button, according to leaked CAD images shared in a video on the Chinese version of TikTok and posted to Twitter by ShrimpApplePro. Instead of separate buttons for volume up and volume down, the iPhone 15 Pro models are expected to have a single elongated button for...
iOS 16

iOS 16.4 for iPhone Nearing Launch With These 5 New Features

Monday March 20, 2023 11:50 am PDT by
Apple says iOS 16.4 is coming in the spring, which began this week. In his Sunday newsletter, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said the update should be released "in the next three weeks or so," meaning a public release is likely in late March or early April. iOS 16.4 remains in beta testing and introduces a handful of new features and changes for the iPhone. Below, we have recapped five new features ...
original iphone auction

Factory-Sealed Original iPhone Sells for $55,000 at Auction

Friday March 17, 2023 1:08 pm PDT by
A first-generation iPhone still sealed inside its box sold for $54,904 at auction, which is more than $54,000 over the original $599 price tag of the device when it was released in 2007. The original iPhone was put up for sale by RR Auction on behalf of a former Apple employee who purchased it back when it first came out. Back in February, an original, sealed iPhone sold for over $63,000,...
voice isolation

iOS 16.4 Adds Voice Isolation for Cellular Phone Calls

Tuesday March 21, 2023 11:01 am PDT by
The iOS 16.4 update that is set to be released to the public in the near future includes voice isolation for cellular calls, according to notes that Apple shared today. Apple says that Voice Isolation will prioritize your voice and block out the ambient noise around you, making for clearer phone calls where you can better hear the person you're chatting with and vice versa. Voice...
iPhone 12 Pro vs iPhone 15 Pro Feature

iPhone 12 Pro vs. 15 Pro: New Features to Expect if You've Waited to Upgrade

Friday March 17, 2023 10:29 am PDT by
While year-over-year iPhone upgrades are not always groundbreaking, new features can begin to stack up over multiple generations. For example, the iPhone 15 Pro will be a notable upgrade for those who still have a three-year-old iPhone 12 Pro. If you are still using an iPhone 12 Pro and are considering upgrading to the iPhone 15 Pro when it launches later this year, we have put together a...
top stories 18mar2023

Top Stories: iPhone 15 Pro Pricing, New iOS 16.4 Beta, Siri vs. ChatGPT, and More

Saturday March 18, 2023 6:00 am PDT by
Apple's high-end iPhone models have started at $999 in the U.S. since they first launched back in 2017 with the iPhone X, but could this finally be the year that starting price sees an increase? This week also saw some more rumors about Apple's upcoming headset and the company's explorations in the booming AI industry as well as the release of a new round of beta updates, so read on for all...
smart monitor m8 samsung

Deals: Samsung's iMac-Like Smart Monitor M8 Drops to Lowest Price of Year So Far With $250 Discount

Monday March 20, 2023 8:27 am PDT by
Samsung today kicked off a special "Discover Samsung" event, which will be a week-long savings event focusing on Samsung monitors, smartphones, TVs, appliances, and more. While some deals will stick around the entire week (through March 26), others will refresh every day. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Samsung. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small...