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Flagship Apple Store in Brisbane, Australia to Open January 17

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Apr 12, 2001
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Apple's long-awaited retail store in Brisbane, Australia in the MacArthur Chambers building is finally set to open on Friday, January 17. Though the Brisbane store was announced more than two years ago, problems with contractors and the historical site prevented construction from beginning until 2013.

The store is located in the famous MacArthur Chambers building, a 10-story high-rise that was originally constructed back in 1934. Building plans indicated that Apple made some minor changes to the structure, adding windows, a stairway, and other features.

applebrisbane.jpg
With the addition of MacArthur Apple Store, there will be a total of four retail locations in Brisbane, Australia's third most populous city. The other locations are in Carindale, Chermside, and Robina.

Hiring for the store first began back in November, leading to speculation that a store opening was imminent. Back in December, MacRumors received several photos of the store, which looked to be nearing completion.

The store will open on Friday, January 17 at 10 a.m., and both workshop reservations and Genius Bar appointments are already being accepted on the location's website.

Article Link: Flagship Apple Store in Brisbane, Australia to Open January 17
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2014/01/10/brisbane-apple-store/
the8thark

the8thark

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Apr 18, 2011
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I will be there bright and early on Friday and be in line to see the store and hopefully get a free t-shirt also. Thanks for the news.
 
sshambles

sshambles

macrumors 6502a
Oct 19, 2005
766
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Australia
I leave Brisbane for one week (relocation for work) after 29 years of living there and this happens... #ohtheirony

Should be a nice store. Big space and area.
 
the8thark

the8thark

macrumors 601
Apr 18, 2011
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sshambles said:
I leave Brisbane for one week (relocation for work) after 29 years of living there and this happens... #ohtheirony

Should be a nice store. Big space and area.
Click to expand...

I'll take photos and put them on the website here for everyone.

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darkslide29 said:
Seems that time-zone wise, it will be (one of) the first location to sell the iPhone 6. :cool:
But I guess since they already have 2 other stores, it's not too special.
Click to expand...
You don't know the location. The interior of this place is huge. The other 2 Queensland stores are tiny by comparison. Just shopping centre booths. How Apple make best use of the space and make the insides really look good and keep the exterior historically relevant to the times the building was built will all be nice to see.

Product wise though it's just an Apple store, not much to see, I'll take my photos and go I guess.
 
O

ozie

macrumors newbie
Jul 16, 2010
3
0
there are 3 other Apple stores in Queensland already, not 2..
You forgot about the Robina store

So there will be a total of 4 Apple stores..
 
the8thark

the8thark

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Apr 18, 2011
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macs4nw said:
Not envious here, but with roughly 22.6 million people, and 21 Apple stores, fwiw our friends down under have the highest # of Apple stores per capita, even more than the US with 254 stores for well over 316 million people.
Click to expand...

Australia probably has the largest average distance between Apple stores in the same country as well.

Also
50 states in the USA. So on average that's 5 stores in each US state.
7 states and territories in Australia. So on average that is 3 stores per state/territory.

The US has 2 more stores per state then Australia has. And Australia's states are much larger.
 
S

Smigit

macrumors 6502
Feb 21, 2011
403
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darkslide29 said:
Seems that time-zone wise, it will be (one of) the first location to sell the iPhone 6. :cool:
Click to expand...
On a global level, yes. As far as Australia goes, when Day Light savings kicks in Brisbane is 1 hour behind the rest of East Coast Australia. Depending when the products ship, it could be behind a few of the other cities (only just though). It wouldn't have mattered last year with the September 20 date, but I imagine daylight savings was in effect for the iPad launches.

Not that one hour difference will kill too many people.
 
macs4nw

macs4nw

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Sep 21, 2010
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Next-door from the little old lady from Pasadena..
the8thark said:
Australia probably has the largest average distance between Apple stores in the same country as well.

Also
50 states in the USA. So on average that's 5 stores in each US state.
7 states and territories in Australia. So on average that is 3 stores per state/territory.

The US has 2 more stores per state then Australia has. And Australia's states are much larger.
Click to expand...

Alright, but to be fair the US, in addition to being the birthplace of Apple, is also more densely populated than Australia; a quick search reveals 11 times as densely populated, in fact. And the bulk of your population is around the periphery of the Australian continent, with a heavy concentration in the South-East.
 
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W

wikiverse

macrumors 6502a
Sep 13, 2012
689
952
SurferPup said:
I heard that this Apple Store would have opened sooner if it weren't for the bureaucratic nonsense of Brisbane City Council and Queensland State Government.
Click to expand...

Apple wanted to put a big glass box around the exterior and heavily modify the heritage listed building.

It's not bureaucratic nonsense, the council is preserving one of the few historic buildings left in Brisbane. Apple would have happily demolished it and put up and ikea inspired glass box if they were allowed.
 
the8thark

the8thark

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Apr 18, 2011
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macs4nw said:
Alright, but to be fair the US, in addition to being the birthplace of Apple, is also more densely populated than Australia; a quick search reveals 11 times as densely populated, in fact. And the bulk of your population is around the periphery of the Australian continent, with a heavy concentration in the South-East.
Click to expand...
That's totally fair. I agree with you. I was just crunching the numbers for curiosity's sake. And the majority of Australians live in on the east coast. Not just the south eastern part. This Brisbane Apple store is coming to the north eastern state.

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SurferPup said:
I heard that this Apple Store would have opened sooner if it weren't for the bureaucratic nonsense of Brisbane City Council and Queensland State Government.
Click to expand...
Actually without the Queensland bureaucracy the store would have never happened. Here's the short version of it all.

1. A while back Apple hired contractors to do the Apple store here.
2. Contracting firm hired to do the Apple store went bankrupt and out of business.
3. Apple said that's that and gave up on the store as their subcontractors were bankrupt.
4. Queensland government told Apple, they had to leave the building in a certain state for the next tenants. Apple didn't want to pay all that money just to prep the building for someone else so they made up their mind to actually finish it and open it.
5. Keeping the outside of the building all historical like it always was, was always on the cards. Apple understands the local heritage of the buildings they use. This building is called the McArthur building because the General used it back in the day over 50 years ago.
 
R

RichardOwens

macrumors member
Sep 20, 2011
50
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Not So Fast

the8thark said:
That's totally fair. I agree with you. I was just crunching the numbers for curiosity's sake. And the majority of Australians live in on the east coast. Not just the south eastern part. This Brisbane Apple store is coming to the north eastern state.

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Actually without the Queensland bureaucracy the store would have never happened. Here's the short version of it all.

1. A while back Apple hired contractors to do the Apple store here.
2. Contracting firm hired to do the Apple store went bankrupt and out of business.
3. Apple said that's that and gave up on the store as their subcontractors were bankrupt.
4. Queensland government told Apple, they had to leave the building in a certain state for the next tenants. Apple didn't want to pay all that money just to prep the building for someone else so they made up their mind to actually finish it and open it.
5. Keeping the outside of the building all historical like it always was, was always on the cards. Apple understands the local heritage of the buildings they use. This building is called the McArthur building because the General used it back in the day over 50 years ago.
Click to expand...


3 Apple found another builder and recommenced the build.
Apple and the BCC did not agree on the clean up the front of store, this meeting was held on the 17 June 2012 and work ceased that day. See BCC DA's for 233 255 Queen for DA in 2013 that allowed this.
4. Precision requested Apple return the site to a make good end of lease status, this went to court apparently although there is no record of this happening.
5. Macarthur Chambers is the name. Signage and the flag were a recent innovation. It is unlikely the previous council will have agreed to this.
 
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A

albusseverus

macrumors 6502a
Nov 28, 2007
744
154
macs4nw said:
Not envious here, but with roughly 22.6 million people, and 21 Apple stores, fwiw our friends down under have the highest # of Apple stores per capita, even more than the US with 254 stores for well over 316 million people.
Click to expand...

Australia also has higher per capita Mac/Apple ownership, sales and revenue, than the US. Australia is know for early adoption of technology. I think there was a stat in 2012 that 1 in 4 Australians owned an iPhone.

And in this case, those in Cairns, Queensland's 4th largest city, would have to drive more than 1000 miles or 19 hours to their nearest Apple Store.

Numbers be crazy.
 
the8thark

the8thark

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Apr 18, 2011
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albusseverus said:
Australia also has higher per capita Mac/Apple ownership, sales and revenue, than the US. Australia is know for early adoption of technology. I think there was a stat in 2012 that 1 in 4 Australians owned an iPhone.

And in this case, those in Cairns, Queensland's 4th largest city, would have to drive more than 1000 miles or 19 hours to their nearest Apple Store.

Numbers be crazy.
Click to expand...

According to population figures:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cities_in_Australia_by_population

- Cairns is the 14th largest city in Australia (not sure where you got 4th from.)
- City of Brisbane is the largest local government population wise in all of Australia. By a very long shot. Over 1 million (1,041,839 as of 2011).

This puts the 4th Apple store in Brisbane into perspective. The Brisbane local government area is huge area size. And the soon to be 4 Apple stores in QLD. None of them are very close. If Apple ever wanted to shut one down, one of the outlying ones would go. The flagship Brisbane one needs to stay.
 
F

fredaroony

macrumors 6502a
Aug 1, 2011
670
0
the8thark said:
According to population figures:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cities_in_Australia_by_population

- Cairns is the 14th largest city in Australia (not sure where you got 4th from.)
- City of Brisbane is the largest local government population wise in all of Australia. By a very long shot. Over 1 million (1,041,839 as of 2011).

This puts the 4th Apple store in Brisbane into perspective. The Brisbane local government area is huge area size. And the soon to be 4 Apple stores in QLD. None of them are very close. If Apple ever wanted to shut one down, one of the outlying ones would go. The flagship Brisbane one needs to stay.
Click to expand...

He said Queensland 4th largest city, not Australia's.
 
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A

albusseverus

macrumors 6502a
Nov 28, 2007
744
154
the8thark said:
This puts the 4th Apple store in Brisbane into perspective. The Brisbane local government area is huge area size. And the soon to be 4 Apple stores in QLD. None of them are very close. If Apple ever wanted to shut one down, one of the outlying ones would go. The flagship Brisbane one needs to stay.
Click to expand...

Make that 3 in the Brisbane area.

Robina (and this must be boring overseas readers) is of course in Gold Coast city, the second largest city in Queensland, and sited first in Queensland, to serve Northern New South Wales/South East Queensland (including Brisbane at the time). Much as the discussion has been State based, the population area is split by the State border, in name only, there.

There were many years when Canberra, although small in population, the country's capital, did not have an Apple Store. And before that, Western Australia (you could add South Australia and Northern Territory, because they didn't have Apple Stores, either), taking it to well over half Australia's land mass (and less than a fifth of the population), didn't have an Apple Store.

Numbers be crazy. Australia be very different, most especially to the U.S.
 
D

dustbuny

macrumors newbie
Dec 30, 2013
10
0
This will be interesting to visit next time I'm in Australia!
Maybe by then the newer rMBP will be released! :)
 
the8thark

the8thark

macrumors 601
Apr 18, 2011
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RichardOwens said:
Except that the Brisbane Central Store has the windows blacked out or light boxed for some reason
Click to expand...
Standard practice for Apple to black out windows before a store opening or major product launch. Nothing out of the ordinary there. On Friday, those of us who will be in attendance will see what it's like first hand with the black on the windows removed.
 
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