Apple 'Mini Stores'?

[AliensAreFuzzy]

I was looking at an article on Reuters about the financial statements and I came across a comment about 'mini stores'
The company, aiming to build on its successful retail store strategy, also said it would be opening the first six of what it calls mini stores in the coming days.
Anyone have any idea what's up with that?

Linky (http://reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml;jsessionid=NKB1ONQWNRU4WCRBAEOCFEY?type=businessNews&storyID=6494368)

[Brother Michael]

Perhaps they will have Dell style Kiosks at six Major Malls. Or perhaps in a mall setting that will have a small store.

In any case I get the feeling that these mini apple stores will be in a Mall setting.

Mike

[homerjward]

hmm...it seems like financial statements are a good source of news/rumor fodder. they half gave away the imac g5 and now the mini stores!
{crosses fingers}north star mall!!!!!!
{crosses other pair}or perhaps rivercenter!!!!!!!!!
{searches for alternate appendages}there's also a few open spaces in the quarry that are about the right size for what i imagine a mini apple store being and that's a very trendy area on the edge of alamo heights and near olmos park.
north star mall has a dell kiosk. are they for sure kiosks, or perhaps just tiny stores? because there's a very tiny store under construction across from the t-mobile store near foley's i believe. could be wrong but approximately there!!!!!!!! also a large space behind the dell kiosk! perfect space for competition! i would say this definitely increases the chance of smaller cities (like san antonio)<--joking! we have 1.2 freakin million people and 1 major sports team and no apple stores!! getting one, or cities with one getting more.

[MacNut]

How much money would Apple really save if they opened a mini store in a mall as opposed to a full size store. The Apple store near me is in a mall and its a full size store, I don't see how they can show off all of the goodies in a smaller store.

[crazy norwegian]

All you wanted to know about the Apple Mini stores and more.

http://www.ifoapplestore.com/stores/ministores.html

This weekend I think is opening of at least some of the mini-stores (only one I know about for sure is the Stanford Mall store).

crazy n

[XIII]

One of them opened today: they look the business... :)

[Brian Haworth]

I live in Santa Rosa and have been looking forward to the opening of this store for months, and goddammit, they just have to open it on the one weekend in October when I'm not available.

[flyfish29]

How much money would Apple really save if they opened a mini store in a mall as opposed to a full size store. The Apple store near me is in a mall and its a full size store, I don't see how they can show off all of the goodies in a smaller store.

They are going to save a bundle and would actually make it possible to have Apple stores in places where you would not have a large regular store. That is the reason they are doing them. To hit markets where they would not normally have a presence. Smaller malls in large cities, smaller towns, etc. It is a great idea and a natural step for a retail chain. You hit the big markets first, then focus on smaller markets. Unfortuantely most companies dont' realize that they need to save money to be profitable in the smaller markets. It sucks for professionals that they dont' have G5 Towers, monitors, etc. but basically they are trying to hit the mass market with these stores and it will work. simple and to the point! Most in the market for a powerMac would either travel to an apple store or already have a place they purchase it locally or online. this is trying to get the everyday family to stop in and consider a mac. It is similar to the selection you might see at a Circut City or Best Buy in the past, but you have Apple empoyees selling the stuff and a much better presentation.

This is apple's best move since the iPod! It will really expand their market share. The cost of this sort of store is most likely 20% of that for a regular store (estimate obviously). Consider much fewer employees, much less sq. footage (often times you can get smaller stores like this in prime locations in malls too!) much less inventory as well as display costs. The store design is much cheaper to build out as well.

Way to go Apple!

[rdowns]

This is apple's best move since the iPod! It will really expand their market share. The cost of this sort of store is most likely 20% of that for a regular store (estimate obviously). Consider much fewer employees, much less sq. footage (often times you can get smaller stores like this in prime locations in malls too!) much less inventory as well as display costs. The store design is much cheaper to build out as well.

Way to go Apple!

I'd argue that these mini stores cost as much or more than other Apple mall stores to build. The 2 mall stores near me are simply larger stark white rectangles with a bigger genius bar, displays in the middle of the store as well as on the walls and the kids section. These new stores have aluminum walls, grander entrances and those special white floors and lighting. Certainly inventory costs and rents will be lower for the mini stores.

[jazzmfk]

Just got back from the mini store opening at the Bridgewater Commons mall. There was a huge line waiting to get in the place at 10AM; I got in somewhere around 11. Kinda cool - One side has iBooks and Powerbooks in typical understated Apple fashion; a bookshelf at the end displays software for sale (it's a full selection, but it does look miniscule as compared to walking into ChumpUSA or something....), (you know, because the world needs 75 different word processing programs and 140 different software titles...). The other side has iPods, iPod minis, various and sundry speaker devices, and a bunch of shelves with keyboards, mice, adapters, cables, and iPod sleeve-live thingies.

A small genius bar (barrette?) is on the back wall. The registers are kinda built into the side walls between the hardware displays and software bookshelves.

The place was jumping! I didn't buy anything this time, but I've got to get some software to go with my new (refurb) G5!

Go, Apple!
MFK

[Doctor Q]

You should continue the discussion in the news thread now that the Mini stores are official.