Apple's designs over the last decade, from hardware to architecture, is simply flawless. I'm amazed at what a cohesive theme they've been able to build up, and eager to see what they do next.

please the customer and to show their products in the best possible way. It wouldn't really matter to me because I've usually bought my Macs over the internet, but I do enjoy going into Apple stores just to look around. I'm fairly certain I enjoy it more than when I look around in Best Buy or when Circuit City was in business.

Critics consider the Apple retail stores a waste of money, but I don't see why. Apple does need the stores to set them apart from other computer companies and many of the Apple stores are doing very good business per square foot. The stores don't seem intimidating and all types of people go in them just to play around with the products.

"Critics consider the Apple retail stores a waste of money"

The critics have always been wrong.

Apple's flagship store in New York City has proven extremely profitable, reporting sales of approximately $440 million a year, according to the New York Post. (no, it's not a typo, that's edging up on a half billion dollars at one retail store)

June 3rd, 2009 at 5:04 PM - News by Bryan Chaffin

Apple's Fifth Avenue retail location rakes in some US$440 million per year, according to the New York Post. In an article looking at the retail business of downtown Manhattan, the newspaper cited a third-party prospectus that revealed Apple's retail sales at the location. In comparison, Apple's other flagship location in NYC, its SoHo store, is slumming it in the $100 million range.

For those working out the numbers in their head, if the Post's numbers are correct, the Fifth Avenue Apple Store is bringing in an average of $1.2 million in sales each and every day, numbers the Post referred to as "mind-boggling."

In the March quarter of 2009, Apple's planet-wide Apple Store retail sales clocked in at $1.471 billion. Very rough back-of-the-napkin math suggests that the Fifth Avenue Apple Store accounted for 6.3% of that total, though the company has more than 225 retail locations around the world.

In the midst of the current economic downturn, NYC's Fifth Avenue shopping district has remained buoyant, as evidenced not only by Apple's success, but also by the fierce competition for what retail space there is. Several high-end multinational retailers are currently vying for the former Brooks Brothers location at 666 Fifth Ave. at 53rd Street that was recently vacated.

But that makes up a good third of their sales then. Which means most of their other stores average a lot less in sales.

I was there and took some pics and iphone video. the see thru store is awesome! and the skylight is cool too. http://brianhancockphotography.blogspot.com/2009/06/apple-store-scottsdale-grand-opening.html