AppleInsider StaffExecutives from Apple Computer's retail division recently flew to Berlin to scout locations for the company's first German retail store, according to a report by ifoAppleStore.
It's likely that Apple will look to place the retail store somewhere in the lively upper part of Kurfürstendamm, which is home to countless department and fashion chain stores. By contrast, the lower part is quieter and lined with designer stores that reside in turn-of-the-century buildings.
Constructed between 1883 and 1886 as a boulevard with a bridle path, Kurfürstendamm was soon met by opulent developments along its sides. By the Twenties it had become the meeting point of Berlin's intellectuals.
After being badly damaged during World War II, the boulevard was cleared and redeveloped in the Fifties with tower blocks and terraced buildings.
Today, Kurfürstendamm remains Berlin's showcase boulevard and has been the site of several new developments over the past five years. From a retail perspective, the boulevard is faintly similar to Paris' Champs Elysées, where Apple is also expected to open a retail store in 2007.
According to ifoAppleStore sources, the Berlin Apple store could open "by late 2005 or early 2006." It would mark the first store in the company's promised expansion into Europe.
Charles Martin
Christine McKee
Oliver Haslam
13 Comments
The Ku-Damm - oh man. It's the old-fashioned shopping mile, in the somewhat out-of-date western part of the city. It's pretty there, with established neighborhoods full of slightly more affluent people such as Wilmersdorf or Charlottenburg nearby.
But the "new heart" of the city is in the Eastern part: Mitte, around the famous "Hackescher Markt". That's where the cool boutiques are. Tourists are everywhere, cool people (like me :-)) shop in Mitte (or actually in Friedrichshain or wherever - but that's where the hip but poor people shop).
Long-time establishments like the Cafe Kranzler, well known from post-cards, have been driven out of the Ku'damm because of the sky-high rents there (or has the Kranzler re-opened somewhere?). Nevertheless, there are always huge crowds around the Ku'damm.
The compromise between style and customer mass might be the Sony Center on Potsdamer Platz, right in the center of the city, next to highly modern and expensive buildings, in the middle of a shopping mall and the latest chic of the Sony Center, with movie theatres, cafes and resturants. Might be tough to find a decent-sized unit there, though.
http://www.davids-world.com/
Last time I checked, England was in Europe.
Actually a better place for the first Apple Store in Germany would be Düsseldorf (capital of the state of North Rhine - Westphalia) since it's Germany's media center, is very near to Belgium and The Netherlands.
The Kurfürstendamm pales against Düsseldorf's Königsallee or similar places in Hamburg or Munic. I'd choose any of the three cities in favour of Berlin.
While I agree that Kurfürstendamm would be the wrong choice for Apple I don´t really see any location near Hackescher Markt that could make a great impression. Perhaps Oranienburger Strasse but it doesn´t have the appeal and is a bit too messed up.
For real show off they could make a kick ass store at Under den Linden. Its in Mitte but still mainstream enough and a very broad boulevard. Perhaps next door to the Berlin Guggenheim (Cafe Einstein, Guggenheim and Apple within 100 feet. Sweet!). But I guess it would be impossible to get your foot in on that street.
Apple need to find the fine balance between mass audience and the "yes we know whats cool and stuff"-factor and Kurfürstendamm has lots of the first and nothing of the second.
Argh.... let´s just hope they build a flagship-store on our famous Ringstrasse any time soon....