Josh Ong
After leading off the weekend with high-profile openings in Shanghai and Hong Kong, Apple opened retail stores in Italy, France, Australia, Canada and the U.S.
New Haven
The company's new store in New Haven, Conn., arises out of a unique partnership with Yale University. The commercial property business arm of the university has remodeled the Yale Bookstore, which operates as a partnership with Barnes & Noble, earlier this year to make space for an official Apple Store.
The location's opening on Saturday morning drew a crowd that stretched down the block, with Herbie J. Zampano, the first customer in line, having waited since Tuesday afternoon, according to Yale Daily News.
“I am here to be a part of the festivities,†said Zampano. “I was accidentally at the grand opening of an Apple Store in New York, and while this is smaller and different, this is just as impressive.â€
Customers wait for the New Haven, Conn., Apple Store to open. Credit: James Lu/Yale Daily News.
Apple's partnership with Yale's University Properties may resemble a similar relationship that the company has with Stanford University. In 2004, Apple unveiled its mini-store design at the Stanford Shopping Center. The university owns the land occupied by the mall, though not the buildings or stores.
Centro Sicilia
The Apple Store in Catania, Italy also drew a large crowd when it opened on Saturday. Macitynet was on hand for the opening, noting hundreds of excited customers at the event.
The Centro Sicilia mall recently made headlines when it was discovered that a wall at a Samsung "shop in shop" retail outlet within the mall displayed Apple's proprietary icons for the App Store and Mobile Safari. SetteB.IT (via Google Translate) notes that the app-themed walls are actually from retailer Euronics, which operates the larger store that the Samsung mini-shop is located in.
Parly 2
Apple opened its fifth store in the Paris region and its ninth location in France on Saturday. The Parly 2 store is located west of Paris in Le Chesnay.
According to French Mac site MacGeneration, at least several hundred customers were in line for the opening.
Westfield Hornsby
Your Tech Life covered the Apple Store opening in Hornsby, Australia, noting "big crowds" that snaked along the western wing of the shopping center. The store is located in a suburb outside of Sydney and joins five Apple stores in the Sydney Metro area. Apple now operates 13 stores in Australia.
Westfield Hornsby Apple Store opening. Credit: Trevor Long/Your Tech Life.
Metrotown
The Apple Store Metrotown opened up in Burnaby, British Columbia. The shop is Metro Vancouver's fourth location and the 22nd in Canada.
iPhoneinCanada.ca notes the relatively close proximity of Apple retail stores in Vancouver, as they are all within a few miles of each other.
AppleInsider Staff
Malcolm Owen
Oliver Haslam
Andrew O'Hara
Wesley Hilliard
William Gallagher
Christine McKee
18 Comments
Are Microsoft going to open a Microsoft Store right next to, right across from,...etc from the newly opened Apple Stores?
You forgot to mention Breahead in Glasgow, Scotland. A new Apple store opened there last week. That makes 8 stores in 5 countries.
This is great news for consumers.
Okay, I've complained several times here about Apple not opening any stores in India. Turns out it's not because Apple is somehow dissing India. It's actually, stupid Indian rules and bureaucracy. I'm sure Apple would love to open a few stores in major Indian cities. India's a huge market, and I'm sure Apple could do very well here. But India won't allow a foreign company to make a presence here unless it's in the form of a partnership with an Indian company. And that's something Apple will never do. Apple won't "share" their retail space and brand with anyone. There are "iStores", where you can buy Apple products, but those stores are run by Reliance Communications. There will never be an actual Apple Retail Store here. Sigh.
Okay, I've complained several times here about Apple not opening any stores in India. Turns out it's not because Apple is somehow dissing India. It's actually, stupid Indian rules and bureaucracy. I'm sure Apple would love to open a few stores in major Indian cities. India's a huge market, and I'm sure Apple could do very well here. But India won't allow a foreign company to make a presence here unless it's in the form of a partnership with an Indian company. And that's something Apple will never do. Apple won't "share" their retail space and brand with anyone. There are "iStores", where you can buy Apple products, but those stores are run by Reliance Communications. There will never be an actual Apple Retail Store here. Sigh.
apple stores do sell other brand products eg software and accesories so they should be able to set up a store in india, if any of those products actually come from indian companies..... maybe the problem lies with no indian companies making apple goods rather than apple not sharing store space.