Apple retail chief Angela Ahrendts this week announced that the iPhone maker's upcoming store along the Chicago River opens Friday, October 20.
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The two-floor store will be located on North Michigan Avenue, near the historic Michigan Avenue Bridge, along the river's north bank. The flagship location will feature glass walls and a carbon fiber roof, which at one point had a white Apple logo on it, making it look like a giant MacBook Air when viewed from above.
Apple has removed its logo from the roof as of late August, and it's unclear if it will be added back at some point.
The store was designed by Apple's longtime architectural partner Foster + Partners, and pays homage to architect Frank Lloyd Wright's Prairie Style homes in Chicago. Based on plans from 2015, the building spans 20,000 square feet and replaces a vacant food court. Construction has been ongoing for over a year.
A lengthy staircase leads from street level to a walkway in front of the store. The building will also be accessible via elevator.
Ahrendts, speaking at Apple's first-ever event at the Steve Jobs Theater on Tuesday, also said Apple's iconic Fifth Avenue store in Manhattan will reopen late next year. She said the glass cube at street level will eventually be reinstalled, and the lower level will be greatly expanded with a new design.
Ahrendts said Apple's retail stores collectively welcome over 500 million visitors per year. Apple has 497 stores around the world.
Apple's nearby store at 679 North Michigan Avenue opened in July 2003. It will permanently close on October 20.
Update: Apple has announced that its retail store at The Summit in Reno, Nevada will be relocating to a new location within the shopping center on Saturday, September 16 at 10:00 a.m. local time. The new location will presumably be larger and updated with Apple's newer store design. (Thanks, Storeteller!)
Top Rated Comments
Shouldn't you be calling them "Town Squares" instead of "Stores" now?
I hate that name. It's such a consulting business / private equity owned business term, that follows with "town hall meetings". I get that Angela is trying to better describe the fact that Apple is more than just a retailer, but they're definitely not a town and their stores, which is what they are, are not town squares.Shouldn't you be calling them "Town Squares" instead of "Stores" now?
Yeah, "We actually don't call them stores anymore, we call them town squares, because they're gathering places."So, better put in a water fountain or a bar or something. And I ain't sittin' long on those wood boxes! Seriously, there are more comfortable "gathering places" in Singapore International baggage claim area than in any Apple TS I've been in.
Shouldn't you be calling them "Town Squares" instead of "Stores" now?
It's quite possible you are being sarcastic, but if not, they are still stores fundamentally. "Town Squares" just sounds like lame marketing to me.Can you already call something iconic when yet not even opened or not having some history at all? Well, seems so...looking great nevertheless.
Fair point. I've changed Iconic to Beautiful in the headline.This environment is beautiful, and the Milan "store" looks even more impressive.