Monday, July 18, 2005, 04:35 pm

Apple to extend store hours, retail exec resigns

By AppleInsider Staff

Acting under the theory that a closed store is an unproductive store, Apple Computer in the coming weeks is expected to announce plans to extend its retail store hours by nearly 50 percent.

Under the revised store hours, most Apple retail locations will operate: 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Mon-Fri, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturdays, and 10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Sundays, according to ifoAppleStore.

Apple's stores currently operate an average of 62 hours a week, but will remain open over 90 hours under the new schedule -- a 46% increase.

During the three-month period from April to June, Apple stores generated a $29m profit for the company on sales of $555m, drawing more than 12 million shoppers.

In related news, ifo is also reporting that Apple Retail vice-president and chief operating officer Bridget Ryan Berman has left the company after a brief 12-month stint.

Berman is said to have resigned from her post "under amicable conditions."

A 12-year veteran of Polo Ralph Lauren Corp, Berman joined Apple in late June or early July of 2004. Prior to joining Apple she oversaw operations at 40 domestic and 121 international Polo Ralph Lauren Factory Stores.

While at Apple, Berman is believed to have operated from an east coast, New Jersey location because she did not want to pick-up and make the move to Cupertino.

There is so far no word on her replacement.