Retail Stores

The best kind of golf course is one where it's only you and the lovely lady who just took her CEO ex-husband to the cleaners.

Who wants to go to a bar where it takes you half an hour to get a drink -- and even then it's been poured with all the attention of a child being asked to clean their shoes?

Yet Apple stores are beginning to resemble farmer's markets just before Thanksgiving. Or Wal-Mart just after -- minus the punching, kicking, and gouging.

Have you ever walked past one that isn't crammed full … Read more

Apple's retail empire is still expanding.

The company today said it plans to open another 30 to 35 retail stores during its 2013 fiscal year, which wraps up next September. About three-quarters of those stores would be located outside the United States, the company said.

The mention came inside the company's annual report, which was filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission this afternoon. Apple added that it plans to spend about $850 million on the expansion, as well as investment into its current retail infrastructure.

The plans fall in line with Apple's retail store … Read more

Apple is once again on the hunt for someone to run its still-growing retail empire.

The company today said John Browett, who it hired from U.K. electronics retail chain Dixons, is leaving the company after a six-month stint.

Apple now says it's in the midst of finding a replacement, and in the meantime, its "retail team will report directly to (CEO) Tim Cook."

Browett started near the end of April, and was given a compensation package worth north of $61 million. It took Apple more than seven months to hire him after the departure of Ron … Read more

Apple will open another retail store in China on Saturday.

The company announced on its China Web site today that it will open a new store in the Nanshan District of Shenzhen on Saturday. The store will be open for business at 9 a.m. on Saturday to celebrate its grand opening. From then on, the store will open at 10 a.m. each day.

The Shenzhen location is the latest in a string of Apple stores to come to China. Earlier this month, Apple touted a new Beijing store in the Wangfujing district. At that event, Apple senior vice … Read more

Apple is among countless retailers striving to defend their East Coast stores against the onslaught of Hurricane Sandy.

The company has already closed some stores in New York and four other states, as well as in Washington, D.C., and is bracing for potential flooding and other damage, says blog site ifoAppleStore.

At least 35 Apple stores are within the hurricane's landfall zone as predicted by the National Weather Service, ifoAppleStore said, while another 15 are right outside the zone, including those in New York City and areas north of the city.

Apple stores across Manhattan were closed as … Read more

Apple touted a new retail store in Beijing today, as it looks to pump up its presence in China's huge market for smartphones and other tech products, where it's recently seen a decline.

At a media preview, Apple Senior Vice President John Browett talked up what will be the company's third store in China's capital city and -- at three stories and more than 300 employees -- its largest in Asia.

The store is located in one of Beijing's most famous shopping areas, Wangfujing street. Browett also confirmed that another Apple store is scheduled to … Read more

Apple is opening a third retail store in Beijing on Saturday.

The company over the weekend updated its Chinese store Web site announcing the impending opening of the Wangfujing store in Beijing. According to Apple, the store will open at 9 a.m. local time on Saturday.

The Wangfujing store is in the Dongcheng district in Beijing. Apple already has stores in the Chaoyang and Xicheng districts.

Apple has been rapidly expanding its retail presence in and around China. Back in June, a report surfaced saying that Apple would open two new brick-and-mortar stores in Chengdu and Shenzhen this year, … Read more

iPhone 5 owners looking for cases at their local Apple store may finally see some in the next couple of weeks.

Apple-approved third-party cases could reach store shelves the week of October 22, multiple sources reportedly told 9to5Mac. Though that time frame could change, the cases should at least appear by the end of October.

The iPhone 5 hit stores almost three weeks ago, but Apple has been slow in stocking cases, screen covers, and other accessories.

Why the delay? Apple has to certify and approve every product sold in its stores, including those from third parties. And that process … Read more

On the first anniversary of Steve Jobs' death, the popularity of Apple's products is a living testament to his special genius. But it's not the just the Macintosh, iPod, iPhone, and iPad that are his legacy. The hundreds of Apple stores are a kind of monument to his design and marketing vision and virtuosity.

With more than 390 stores in 13 countries, Jobs engineered a direct-to-customer connection and more than 1 billion people have entered an iconic Apple store since the first one opened in May of 2001. Jobs proved a multitude of critics wrong, who believed the … Read more