Apple admits second UK store in Birmingham

[MacBytes]

Category: News and Press Releases
Link: Apple admits second UK store in Birmingham (http://www.macbytes.com/link.php?sid=20040920151404)
Posted on MacBytes.com (http://www.macbytes.com)

Approved by Mudbug

[edesignuk]

WOW, so London gets the first European Apple store, and then we get a 2nd one in Birmingham (fairly central in the country, good idea)! Fantastic!

I hope the investment they are putting in to the UK market will be worth while. I don't see why it can't be a big success. One thing though Apple....YOU NEED TO ADVERTISE ON TV!!!!!!!!!!! (Something other than the bloody iPod!)

[James Craner]

I am surprised that they have announced a 2nd UK store, before they have announced a new flagship store in Continental Europe, in either France or Germany at least. Not that I am complaining, however a new store in Bristol :D would be great Steve, if you are reading.

[James Craner]

One thing though Apple....YOU NEED TO ADVERTISE ON TV!!!!!!!!!!! (Something other than the bloody iPod!)

I completely agree, and not some lame advert like the PowerMac G5 blowing someone out of his house. Show people how easy OS X is easy to use and demo the iLife Apps, as well as show off the sexy hardware.

[edesignuk]

I completely agree, and not some lame advert like the PowerMac G5 blowing someone out of his house. Show people how easy OS X is easy to use and demo the iLife Apps, as well as show off the sexy hardware.
Exactly, that advert was utter crap. yeah, it looked good, but it didn't tell the PC buying public ANYTHING. They need to get across a few important points.

1. If you own a mac you will still be able to do everything you can with a Windows PC.
2. You can still communicate with your Windows buddies in the same normal ways you would with a PC.
3. Less frequent security updates, stability etc.
4. Show off the iMac, don't even bother with the PM G5. The iMac is the one to push here.
5. A quick flick of Expose just looks cool and will get people interested. ;)
6. More that I can't think of right now...

If they don't do this then these Apple stores will be a complete waste of money.

[nacl99]

"admits" - Sounds so CBS

[munkle]

Apple Stores act as adverts themselves so it's great news that the UK has two lined up, with a possible third on the way. Agreed that a bit more marketing on the computer front wouldn't go amiss, enough with the iPod silhouettes!!

[Savage Henry]

Man, these guys must think there is some good money in this country if (and that's a big if) they are pushing for the third in Manchester.

Also I agree that mainstream high street presence is far greater than a Tom n' Jerry-esque dizzy spell under a tree.

[munkle]

Man, these guys must think there is some good money in this country

They just can't believe the mark ups they can get away with! :rolleyes:

[vollspacken]

WTF??? damn Apple... open a store in Berlin already! :rolleyes:

vSpacken

[Stella]

WTF??? damn Apple... open a store in Berlin already! :rolleyes:

vSpacken
Too right.. Toronto store please!

However, Brum is a good location, central England and not poked away in the corner like london is.
(London == **** hole. EVERYTHING has to be in London.. national football staduim, museums, the lot. Even talking about the UK grand prix in the Streets of London).

<RANT>
In Canada, people don't say "are you from UK".. NO, instead "ARE YOU FROM LONDON".. NO I'M BLOODY NOT

LONDON isn't UK... London is just a small part... If you have only been to London and haven 't been arsed to go elsewhere, you really haven't been to visit UK.

</RANT>

[CrackedButter]

They also gave a date for the London Store opening!!!!

I am so there, i've been to EVERY Apple store outside the US! ;)

[edesignuk]

(London == **** hole. EVERYTHING has to be in London.. national football staduim, museums, the lot. Even talking about the UK grand prix in the Streets of London).No matter it's location, London is the capital, and a pretty damn famous one at that.

[Abstract]

Too right.. Toronto store please!

However, Brum is a good location, central England and not poked away in the corner like london is.
(London == **** hole. EVERYTHING has to be in London.. national football staduim, museums, the lot. Even talking about the UK grand prix in the Streets of London).

<RANT>
In Canada, people don't say "are you from UK".. NO, instead "ARE YOU FROM LONDON".. NO I'M BLOODY NOT

LONDON isn't UK... London is just a small part... If you have only been to London and haven 't been arsed to go elsewhere, you really haven't been to visit UK.

</RANT>

I've been to London. The UK was great!! ;)

Yeah, Toronto needs a store. Yorkdale Mall is supposed to be getting one, and another one in either Eaton Centre or at store accessible by street in the downtown core.

I really believe that a presence in each country should be higher on the priority list than having lots of stores in only several countries. They need more than 3 countries with retail stores to succeed. At least put one in Toronto. It has 5-7 million people, last time I checked. Even smaller US cities have one when one of North America's largest cities don't. :rolleyes:

Sydney should also get one ---- 4 million people.

[takao]

my guess is that Paris (France) will be the next hot bet ...(after birmingham)
then germany, italy etc.

i wonder more when the first stores will open in smaller countries ... my first bet for small countries would be switzerland because of the high market share there....

[Sabbath]

The funny thing about having an Apple store in the bullring (for many years the ugliest building in the world!), is their store design would actually be overshadowed for once by Selfridges.

[garybUK]

That's great, will save me a few pennies driving all that way to London. Its great Birmingham is getting stores like Selfridges and Apple etc, help revitalise the city.

Next one has to be Paris, France that's where Apple's European HQ is located.

I hope they get one in Manchester or Leeds or somewhere as I HATE going to Birmingham, the motorway is a nightmare, plus its a concrete jungle.

[diego]

Mexico City anyone? 25 million people
We actually have one, the Macstore, but it's too small and from a reseller, an official Apple Store would be awesome.

[iGav]

However, Brum is a good location, central England and not poked away in the corner like london is.


When since was London poked away in the corner?? :p it's situated in the most densily populated area of the entire country. The South East.

Brum is a good location for the 2nd store, it's got excellent transport infrustructure, being at the heart of the UK motorway network for the M1, M5, and M6 and is on the West Coast Mainline.

On the downside even though it's the 2nd largest city, it still loses 16+ million potential customers that London has and as such is 1 of the reasons why London was chosen as the location for the first store.


(London == **** hole. EVERYTHING has to be in London.. national football staduim, museums, the lot. Even talking about the UK grand prix in the Streets of London).

Everything is not in London... stop being so melodramtic and ignorant.

The National Stadium is in London, because the previous one was... and the legend that is Wembley dictated where the new stadium should be built.

The F.A. Cup has suffered in recent years because of it's temporary home in Cardiff.... Que Sera Sera?? doesn't quite have the same ring with Birmingham in it does it!! ;) :p

Birmingham also has the NATIONAL Exhibition Centre, the home of the only MAJOR car show in the country.

Museums... well every major city in the UK worth it's salt has museums and galleries even St Ives in Cornwall (which is really poked away in a corner) has a Tate! ;) as does Liverpool.

So London has some of the biggest museums... but then Newcastle has some of the most impressive.

What about the whole Royal Armouries that was relocated from London to Leeds??

The talk of a London GP is exactly that... a London GP, not a replacement for the British GP, a supplement to the exisiting race in one of the worlds greatest cities.

Birmingham used to have the Super Prix several years ago (the council killed it) so it's not just a London thing is it.

If you have only been to London and haven 't been arsed to go elsewhere, you really haven't been to visit UK.

Exactly.... :) so why do you say that London has everything, and imply that everywhere else has nothing?? That is simply not the case.

[BakedBeans]

The National Stadium is in London, because the previous one was... and the legend that is Wembley dictated where the new stadium should be built.

you darn right....


Birmingham also has the NATIONAL Exhibition Centre, the home of the only MAJOR car show in the country.

obviously not been to the london motorshow at earles court then ;)
i have and its major...

Museums... well every major city in the UK worth it's salt has museums and galleries even St Ives in Cornwall (which is really poked away in a corner) has a Tate! ;) as does Liverpool.

lol have you ever been to st.ives tate...lol i had some work up in the once.... and that says how good it is..
if you are ever in st ives there is an artist on the front with his own shop called keith english... man he is amazing



Exactly.... :) so why do you say that London has everything, and imply that everywhere else has nothing?? That is simply not the case.

to true..

[wrldwzrd89]

I guess this proves my earlier post in another thread wrong about there being no UK Apple Stores...It's good to see Apple Stores springing up in the UK - their presence is badly needed.

[iGav]

you darn right.... obviously not been to the london motorshow at earles court then ;) i have and its major...

Yes I have... when it was called Motofair, and it's no where near as good as the one in Birmingham, infact it hasn't been since the 1980's.

But it's not considered as 'major' by car manufacturers, that's why many car manufacturers pulled out of it, or decided not to show altogether (with some companies being represented by dealers instead) and as such they've had to cancel it in recent years 2003 for example.

Birmingham is the ONLY major car show now in the UK.


lol have you ever been to st.ives tate...lol i had some work up in the once.... and that says how good it is..
if you are ever in st ives there is an artist on the front with his own shop called keith english... man he is amazing

I love Tate St Ives :) I think it's just as relevant as say Tate Modern is, and the perfect antidote to the urban scene of many major cities. The Cornish art scene really is superb, there's alot of contemporary artists coming through, Bristol is the same. ;)

It just annoys me when such sweeping statements are made that London gets everything, and the rest of the country is ignored at it's expense, when this is simply incorrect, is ignorant of the facts and not fair to the many great cities in this country such as Birmingham, Derby, Bristol, Leeds, Manchester, Sheffield etc etc... all of which are experiencing MASSIVE regeneration, have their own cultural identity and all of the above are really beginning to develop their own vibrant scenes regardless of what is going on in the capital.

Same goes for people that whinge about London and have moved their by choice. Sorry to bring Mancs into this, but I know so many Mancs in London, and all they do is shred it to pieces, how they hate it, how Manchester is soooooooo much better, how London is too expensive, too flash etc etc and it's like... 'well what the f**k are you doing living here then??' I just can't understand that kind of mentality of living in a place that you so obviously hate. :rolleyes:

Anyway... I know I'm coming across as harsh, but it's only because I'm passionate about the city I choose to live in. :)

[garybUK]

Sorry to bring Mancs into this, but I know so many Mancs in London, and all they do is shred it to pieces, how they hate it, how Manchester is soooooooo much better, how London is too expensive, too flash etc etc and it's like... 'well what the f**k are you doing living here then??' I just can't understand that kind of mentality of living in a place that you so obviously hate. :rolleyes:

I am from Manchester and have worked and lived in London, and while a fantastic place for culture, history, architecture etc.. etc... The people of London and the atmosphere are absolutely awful. Many people go on about a North/south divide and there is one, in the attitude of the people. I absolutely detested living and working in London, that much I chose to move back to Manchester. The northern people, to me, are so much more freindlier, you can ask anyone anything on the street and you will get an answer. In London you are forced to run around to your destination so impersonally. If you died on the underground, no one would bat an eye lid.

I suppose it's what you have been brought up with and what your values are but I prefer the 'simpler' life up here in the north of england :) Give me lancashire hotpot over jellied eels any day :P

I still love London, it's one of the greatest cities in the world, and I have been to a few. But I prefer it at a distance.

[hob]

If you died on the underground, no one would bat an eye lid.

That's really harsh!! I've lived in London all my life, and whilst there are a few people who always appear "too busy" to give a toss about anyone else, that's surely the same in any city/town/community in the world! I've never been out of London (much) in the last 18 years, but now am at Uni in Stafford near Birmingham and am looking forward to experiencing other citys within the UK.

i don't think there is a north/south divide, it's just in the minds of people who talk about it! Could be something to do with a need for conflict that seems inherent in some people ("southern ponces"... "northern...." well, whatever). As someone else said many of the cities in the UK are undergoing regeneration. The Student Union bar here charges the same for drinks as Weatherspoons in my home town of Bromley, or the one in Victoria Station - infact Stella Artois is 30p more expensive!!

Hob

[BakedBeans]

[QUOTE=hob
i don't think there is a north/south divide, it's just in the minds of people who talk about it! Could be something to do with a need for conflict that seems inherent in some people ("southern ponces"... "northern...." well, whatever). As someone else said many of the cities in the UK are undergoing regeneration. The Student Union bar here charges the same for drinks as Weatherspoons in my home town of Bromley, or the one in Victoria Station - infact Stella Artois is 30p more expensive!!

Hob[/QUOTE]

are you for real??? the so is a north south divide....

i have lived in both north and south.... and wow..... there sure is... not so much down south.... but up north there is...

[iGav]

i have lived in both north and south.... and wow..... there sure is... not so much down south.... but up north there is...

I think it's more of an issue for Northerners... heheheh :eek: :p :p


I absolutely detested living and working in London, that much I chose to move back to Manchester.

See that's cool... you decided you didn't like living somewhere, and you did something about it... ;)

Now what I can't understand is why all the other Mancs that live here in a state of constant whining don't do the same?? It's giving London a bad vibe... heheheh :p

Anyway, I see Birmingham is reintroducing the 'Super Prix', they're getting everything are those Midlanders!! the Super Prix, Max Power Show and Meatloaf every December at the NEC!! Bast*rds!! :p :p :p

[BakedBeans]

next time you go to st ives... stop of in hayle and get me a pasty from philps' bakery..... yum....pastys...

[Mord]

i have to say london is a harsh place, i have lived here all my life and i'm used to it but when i go to places like bristol you have conversations with random people when waiting for the bus and people are so much friendlier than they are here. when i'm older i'd definatly like to live outside of london maybe in bath or bristol somewhere not to far from the coast.

londons great fro some things but the "vibe" is definatly not nice (btw i live in kilburn - queens park and go to hampstead school)

[BakedBeans]

London is harsh.... very... i dislike London and stay away if i possibly can..and would never choose to live there

but then again i hate england.... but im stuck here untill i can move abroad... but its a case of paying off all my debts and saving enough money to just do it...

[Mord]

if thats student debt they drop it if you emigrate so if you bugger off to somewhere elce your debt free :D look into it i was told about it my my sisters boyfriend who is thinking of doing it, the only catch is you can never live in the uk again :eek:.

londons not that bad it just takes a little getting used to.

[Loge]

London's a fine place to live and work. I really don't see why people say it is harsh.

[BakedBeans]

London's a fine place to live and work. I really don't see why people say it is harsh.

not a country boy then?? lol

[WinterMute]

I was in the Bullring a few weeks ago, just before going to the NEC to see Rush, it's the perfect place for an Applestore, but the first one had to be in London. I also saw Rush in Wembley, and I had a lot more fun in the NEC, the sound was better, it was easier to get in and out, and it took me less time to get home from Birmingham than it did from Wembley...

I've lived in London for nearly 20 years, and it's a marvelous place to be young and/or rich, but don't get old or poor here, it'll roll right over you and you won't leave a stain...

London is like all major international cities, it doesn't care and it's got everything to offer, but it's hard work and you need friends.

I too get sick of people slagging London off while living here, my friends in the North who have moved back love it from a distance now, and they visit when they can, I like Manchester/Liverpool/etc for a weekend, but you'd not catch me living there.

I think people forget just how big and concentrated London is, even the centres of Manchester and Birmingham feel suburban in comparison, I've walked across Brum to get home, you can't do that in London.