Apple Looks to Open New Stores in Washington D.C. and Scottsdale, AZ

[MacRumors]

Apple is one of a number of retailers looking at opening a store at Scottsdale Fashion Square, in a 100,000-square-foot wing formerly occupied by Barney's department store, according to the Phoenix Business Journal.

Former Barney's store at Scottsdale Fashion Square (Photo: Phoenix New Times)​

Barney's department store closed its Fashion Square store earlier this year, providing Apple with an opportunity to secure a large space in the largest shopping mall in the Phoenix area, according to the report. The mall has the second-highest profit per square foot of any U.S. malls, according to owner Macerich.

Scottsdale, an eastern suburb of Phoenix, Arizona, has one existing Apple retail store at Scottsdale Quarter. Apple has four other retail stores in the greater area, including locations at Biltmore in Phoenix, Chandler Fashion Center in Chandler, SanTan Village in Gilbert, and Arrowhead in Glendale.

Meanwhile, Apple has reached an agreement to proceed with opening a flagship store at the historic Carnegie Library in Washington D.C. as previously rumored, according to the Washington Business Journal.

Carnegie Library (Photo: Bobak Ha'Eri)​

Carnegie Library property management Events DC has reportedly proposed a 10-year lease term, with the option for two 5-year extensions. Apple will pay market rent and will give Events DC a payment of "between $1 million and $2 million to offset any losses at the building," the report added.

Carnegie Library is a 113-year-old building located across the street from the Washington Convention Center in Mount Vernon Square. Apple will work with Foster + Partners as it often does to redesign the 63,000-square-foot space, which will be similar to its flagship stores in San Francisco and London.

Washington D.C.'s historical preservation panel would have to approve Apple as a tenant due to the building's historical legacy and importance to the city.

Article Link: Apple Looks to Open New Stores in Washington D.C. and Scottsdale, AZ

 

[machpost]

The new DC location is also about a block north of the CityCenterDC development, where they had originally planned on opening a flagship store. I believe Apple backed out of that one.

 

[Amnak]

I'm super pumped about this DC location

 

[happyslayer]

Yes! I work with customers often in the Scottsdale Fashion Square area and having an Apple Store close will be great.

 

[IPPlanMan]

The new DC location is also about a block north of the CityCenterDC development, where they had originally planned on opening a flagship store. I believe Apple backed out of that one.

That's right. Apple backed out of it for some reason... and there's a remarkable irony here as well...

There's an interesting article on City Center in The Washington Post about this...

D.C. got everything it wanted out of CityCenterDC — except the crowds

The project needed buy-in from luxury retailers, and an early and prominent believer in CityCenter was Angela Ahrendts, then the chief executive of Burberry. Ahrendts opted to shutter the Burberry store on Connecticut Avenue close to K Street NW for a chance to help assemble a lineup of stores that would ultimately include Kate Spade, Louis Vuitton and Salvatore Ferragamo. (A Tesla showroom is also on the way, and CityCenter’s second phase, featuring a Conrad hotel, is now under construction.)

“She was the first one who said, ‘I think this will work,’ ” Alsup said. “She encouraged us to approach the other ones and signed on early.”

Only one coveted retailer got away: Apple. Hines so badly wanted the world’s largest tech company to open in CityCenter that it tailored an enormous storefront for it in the complex’s most visible location, overlooking the triangular park along New York Avenue, looking out toward the convention center. But the iPhone dispenser decided against it. Ironically, Ahrendts now oversees retail at Apple, which recently expressed interest in leasing the former Carnegie Library nearby — a twist that clearly irks Riker.

Apple, which draws throngs of people with its product releases and, increasingly, with company-sponsored concerts and events, would likely have helped to neutralize two of CityCenter’s most common criticisms: It’s rarely crowded, and there isn’t much to buy or do there for anyone other than one-percenters.
​

Oh well... I guess The Carnegie Library has much more of a standalone "landmark" status than a luxury shopping plaza. Makes sense to me... but damn, that's cold.

 

[A MacBook lover]

Perfect location for D.C.

 

[CaryMacGuy]

How about Columbia, SC...hard to believe there isn't one here. Add that to the reasons for moving back to Raleigh

 

[valleian]

Sounds awesome, and the DC location looks like its going to be beautiful, but can Apple please build some more locations in Pennsylvania? There are none in the Northeast of the state, so if you live in or around the Scranton/Pocono area, you either need to drive >50 miles south to Allentown, PA, or >50 miles east to Rockaway, New Jersey. I imagine it has something to do with the profitability of the area, but man is it annoying having to travel over 100 miles round trip to go to an official Apple location .

 

[ASUgrad1999]

It's important to note that Apple used to have a Store in the Scottsdale Fashion Square mall and they closed it when they opened the Scottsdale Quarter location. I never understood why they did that. It's 20 minute drive between the two

 

[NewtonAurelius]

That is a lot of time and money to spend on building a store if all Apple wants to do is sell iPhones and watches. What exactly is Apple suppose to be selling in these stores other then outdated computers from 3 years ago at full price.

I would guess that Verizon, AT&T, and the others spend less then 30 thousand on their stores to sell phones, and they do just fine. So why does Apple need these multi-million dollar art-sculpture stores to sell the same thing?

 

[newyorksole]

That is a lot of time and money to spend on building a store if all Apple wants to do is sell iPhones and watches. What exactly is Apple suppose to be selling in these stores other then outdated computers from 3 years ago at full price.

I would guess that Verizon, AT&T, and the others spend less then 30 thousand on their stores to sell phones, and they do just fine. So why does Apple need these multi-million dollar art-sculpture stores to sell the same thing?

Please stop... There are more to the stores than just selling iPhones, watches and "old" computers.

 

[dontwalkhand]

It's important to note that Apple used to have a Store in the Scottsdale Fashion Square mall and they closed it when they opened the Scottsdale Quarter location. I never understood why they did that. It's 20 minute drive between the two

I don't remember one ever being there. I know there is always a largely now full Microsoft store- which won't be anymore now that Apple is moving in!
[doublepost=1481646420][/doublepost]

That is a lot of time and money to spend on building a store if all Apple wants to do is sell iPhones and watches. What exactly is Apple suppose to be selling in these stores other then outdated computers from 3 years ago at full price.

I would guess that Verizon, AT&T, and the others spend less then 30 thousand on their stores to sell phones, and they do just fine. So why does Apple need these multi-million dollar art-sculpture stores to sell the same thing?

You obviously don't know Apple. Remember we are talking about a company that redid a subway station because it was in front of the Apple Store and it wasn't "Apple enough". Remember you're talking about a company that buys out a glass company to build the Apple Store 5th Ave.