Apple to Open New Retail Store in Tokyo's Omotesando District in March 2014

[MacRumors]

An Apple retail store is set to open within Tokyo's famed Omotesand? district in March 2014, reports Bloomberg. The store will be Apple's first new one to open in the city in nine years and the first anywhere in Japan since the Sapporo store opened in June 2006. The new store will reportedly span three floors, with the first floor above ground and two additional underground floors, for a total area of 1868 square meters (over 20,000 square feet). Job listings for the store have also begun appearing on Apple's Japanese retail web site.

Apple Retail Store in Tokyo's Ginza district​

The land costs about 16 billion yen ($164 million) and a completed store with Apple as tenant would value the property at around 25 billion yen, said Seth Sulkin, a representative director at Tokyo-based real estate and asset manager Pacifica Capital KK. Sulkin was Apple's real estate adviser for all seven of the company's previous stores in Japan.

"Apple wants the best real estate they can get," said Sulkin. "They are particular about size and shape. If they have to wait to get the real estate, they would."

The store plans come as Apple attempts to make a bigger push in the Japanese market, with Japan's biggest carrier, NTT DoCoMo, stating that it has "compelling reasons" to reach a long-elusive iPhone deal with Apple in Japan. The iPhone 5S and lower-cost iPhone 5C are expected to launch in Japan in September 20 along with the first wave of launches in select countries, and both next-generation iPhones will reportedly be unveiled on September 10.

Article Link: Apple to Open New Retail Store in Tokyo's Omotesando District in March 2014

 

[TWSS37]

Hopefully, there won't be any fountains that need relocation.

 

[Steve121178]

Err, great.

 

[TWSS37]

An Apple retail store is set to open within Tokyo's famed Omotesand? district

I'm Ron Burgundy?

 

[kenetic]

Hopefully, there won't be any fountains that need relocation.

LOL! I know right!!

 

[ValSalva]

But will it be gold or champagne?

 

[everything-i]

Apple seems to be making big advances to eastern markets, the candy colours of the iPhone 5C and gold iPhone 5S are good examples of this. Remains to be seen if they can succeed because they are tough markets to crack.

 

[ironsienna]

Is it going to be nuclear powered? It's quite trendy nowadays in Japan...

 

[blue22]

Apple chasing that ¥en...

Another push to gain ground on that fickle Asian market.

 

[ChristianVirtual]

Is it going to be nuclear powered? It's quite trendy nowadays in Japan...

Not funny !

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That's somehow very close to the existing store in Shibuya, some 2km distance maybe ?

 

[Sincci]

Is it going to be nuclear powered? It's quite trendy nowadays in Japan...

Posts like these are the prime example why the vote down button should be brought back

 

[Quicksilver867]

JDM Apple store yo

 

[brymck]

Apple seems to be making big advances to eastern markets, the candy colours of the iPhone 5C and gold iPhone 5S are good examples of this. Remains to be seen if they can succeed because they are tough markets to crack.

Apple has 40% of the Japanese smartphone market, and that's despite iPhones not being sold by Japan's largest carrier. I'm pretty sure they've "cracked" the market.

 

[oliversl]

Thats a big logo

 

[timgr]

Actually the photo isn't the Ginza store it is the Fukuoka Tenjin store.

Edit: Looks like they picked up the mistake whilst I was posting. The photo IS the Ginza store now

 

[Roniniku]

Meh...

Now open 3 or 4 more in places that are convenient for people and it would actually help. There's already one in Shibuya and Omotesando is only a few stations away. Spread the stores out a bit. The biggest mall in Japan could definitely use one (Koshigaya Laketown)...coincidentally less than 10mins from my house

 

[Hirakata]

It may be close to the Shibuya store, but at 6000+ people per square km, tens (if not hundreds) of thousands of people will find this store a bit more convenient. Space is a premium as well. I'm sure Apple is just gobbling up anything that becomes available anywhere near a good location.

 

[Alumeenium]

I'm all for it, Japan is a great country. I visited a few years ago and was surprised how many old busted PCs were running the infrastructure. Granted the country is extremely Mobile. The more Macs and iOS they can sell over there the better!

 

[garya73]

$164 million just for the land. Now that's some valuable real estate!

 

[ironsienna]

Not funny !

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That's somehow very close to the existing store in Shibuya, some 2km distance maybe ?

Well, it wasn't intended to be.. I actually mean it..

 

[everything-i]

Apple has 40% of the Japanese smartphone market, and that's despite iPhones not being sold by Japan's largest carrier. I'm pretty sure they've "cracked" the market.

While Apple is doing well in Japan it is still only a small payer in China and other eastern markets. China is the big one and the toughest nut to crack, Japan is pretty westernised by comparison.

 

[GermanyChris]

Hey look it's not a big ugly glass cube, it's a big ugly metal one instead

 

[dziewuliz]

As an ex-employee of Shibuya Apple Store, I can only say... about freaking time! Some two years ago the traffic was unimaginable for a store that size. Finally there's gonna be some room to breathe!

 

[ayembee]

Nice...

Hah, nice... That's only a 6 minute walk from my place. The Shibuya store is always horribly rammed with people, so that will be a very welcome development

 

[PracticalMac]

If Apple was REALLY serious about Japan, they should open micro-stores in the rail stations (focus on iOS and iPod).

Every day 30 million Japanese takes the train.