New Apple Stores: Greensboro, DC, UK, Canada
updated 09:25 am EST, Thu February 5, 2009
Early 2009 store plans
Apple has already begun its retail store expansion plans for 2009, with photos emerging of construction in Greensboro, NC, along with a building approval for a long-awaited Georgetown location and several international locations, including Brighton in the UK, and Ottawa, Canada. A tipster who observed workers building the Greensboro store notes that the workers were standing on what appeared to be a palette with a railing made from 2x4s.
According to ifoAppleStore, Apple is finally moving forward with opening a Churchill Square store in Brighton, after a long delay. Job listings were posted for the store in 2007, but while this would typically foreshadow an opening, nothing else was announced. The store may be open by late summer; also due around the same time is a Rideau Center location in Canada's capital city of Ottawa, just a few blocks away from Parliament Hill.
Apple is additionally said to have received approval to re-design the store located at 1229 Wisconsin Avenue in Georgetown, after being denied several times by a District of Columbia architectural commission. The design previously offered by Apple included a two-level glass storefront -- paired with stainless steel and a back-lit Apple logo -- but was said not to match the neighborhood's architectural character. A third design has been approved by the ANC however, and will have a one-story interior with a two-story exterior, the latter having an all-glass storefront for the first level. The interior should feature an atrium with planted trees. Planned changes are so dramatic, though, that the current building is slated to be demolished to make way for a new one. If approved by the Old Georgetown Board, a new shop could open by late 2009.
Greensboro
02/05, 10:19am reply
It's spelled Greensboro, not Greensborough. A common mistake, as the alternate spelling was used many moons ago.
Here's a shot I took of the exterior, yesterday:
http://gallery.me.com/aeolius/100024/IMG0246/web.jpg
And the interior, last week:
http://gallery.me.com/aeolius/100008/IMG0244/web.jpg
Aeolius
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Feb 2006
Broken Links
02/05, 10:24am reply
Odd. My comment was edited. To see the links, place an underscore ( _ ) after IMG, in the links above.
Aeolius
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Joined: Feb 2006
Washington Post story
02/05, 10:38am reply
More details here about the Georgetown store. The DC Mayor and others are getting anxious that Apple may walk way if the board doesn't let this project move forward.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/04/AR2009020402027.html
malax
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Joined: Aug 2006
Pine is the new Glass
02/05, 10:41am (1 reply) reply
"A tipster who observed workers building the Greensborough store notes that the workers were standing on what appeared to be a palette with a railing made from 2x4s."
Ooooh, can we expect a wave of new Apple store featuring the promenant use of 2x4s as a design element? Maybe a giant spiral staircase make out of wood (followed by a patent application with Steven P. Jobs name on it).
malax
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Joined: Aug 2006
The analysts are gonna
02/05, 10:55am reply
hate this. They can't figure out why Apple would be expanding and hiring when every other company is contracting and firing. They don't like the idea of Apple going against the tide of the times. They seem certain it will only cause Apple to start bleeding money. The analysts will make sure all potential investors are aware of this overhead and potential money loss. To analysts, employees are just some item in a ledger book. If a few thousand employees are fired, who cares. It looks good for accounting purposes.
I say that any company that can afford to keep people employed nowadays is a very good thing. Apple will definitely be ridiculed by analysts for this way of thinking. We'll see. They'll be jumping with glee at the first hint of Apple layoffs. I doubt they'll be rejoicing any time soon.
Constable Odo
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Joined: Aug 2007
palettes??
02/05, 12:07pm reply
Really? Someone (not just someone, but a 'tipster') felt it was important to mention workers standing on what appears to be a palette with railings made out of 2x4's?
OK, what's next? "Reports indicate the workers, from time to time, enter a small rectangular shaped structure, only to exit a few minutes later. It was unclear what the workers were doing in the structure, but it apparently a portable design studio to communicate with Apple's Johnathan Ivie. This was deduced from the name 'Port-a-John' seen on the side of the structure."
testudo
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Aug 2001
Greensboro cont
02/05, 01:12pm reply
What you didn't see was earlier when I was walking by I saw a random shopper unknowingly walk right underneath the forklift of workers into the work zone as they were putting up the paneling.... is that worse than walking underneath a ladder??? Maybe its just stition not so much superstition.
integor
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Joined: Oct 2007
Greensboro
02/06, 02:11am reply
Yeah! Greensboro!
'bout damn time!
But they coulda opened one in Clemmons... that would be better.
Wingsy
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Joined: Apr 2005