Apple Retail Stores - The UK & Toronto In 2005?

[dotmike]

it was AMAZING to see the dual 30inch displays working - I played with them, then watched a guy open Safari, and resize it to cover both displays, all the time cackling to himself with joy!

That's quite a resize operation... Now I know why the lights flickered in central London yesterday afternoon!

 

[maya]

Great Apple Store is coming to Toronto, just when I am about to move out of this city. What rotten luck.

This months sucks.

 

[LordAuslander]

NorthStar

A few weeks ago I went to the one on Queen East, I was disappointed, though they had a 30" apple display - HUGE!!! Others stores are better. CPUsed is good.

Ever since Jamie Andres left Computer Systems Centre (college and spadina) i've taken less and less business there, since the remaining staff are a little, well, snobbish.

I have to do purchasing for my work, and the number of times I've walked in with company card in one hand and a $10,000 shopping list in the other and literally had to wait around for sales people who, as best as I could tell, weren't helping any other customers is, as you might expect, a big problem for me.

I tend to go to NorthStar a lot now (Bay and Elm). They're open till midnight, the staff are nice, and they are a lot more apple centric, whereas CSC has that whole nasty "Redmondized" part of the store.

 

[LordAuslander]

905.. ick.

Another thing about the '905' region: it is by FAR the fastest-growing region in the country and certainly the fastest in the region.

I grew up in 905. No matter what anyone tries to say about 905 to make it sound nice, I have one word for you... "Oshawa".

As long as Oshawa is in the 905, the 905 is, will be, and always will be, a dive.

Now, if you make a new area code for Oshawa, then I'll agree that 905 has some comfy places. Bowmanville is kinda nice. I grew up in Whitby, and it was decent enough.

But Oshawa, it just brings the whole thing down.

Hamilton too.

Both of those places should be bombed, bull dozed, and started over.

 

[maya]

That's quite a resize operation... Now I know why the lights flickered in central London yesterday afternoon!

Yep, those 30 incher's together or by themselves are HUGH, quite sick to be honest.

I mean wow those things look digital painters canvases, and remember artists are poppers, rotf joking

None the less where does the industry see the limit for larg(er) lcd HD screens for use with computers. 45 inches in my opinion is VERY VERY large the brightness alone hurts the eyes even with it turned down. And that is on a 17 inch lcd.

All this is madness a 20 inch HD screen is perfect I guess then again we all have our own preferences.

 

[iChan]

Dublin please!!!!

 

[DTG]

I know what you mean about those 30" screens. They are in fact enormous.

In comparison, the 20" screens look absolutely pathetic despite 20" being considered quite big by most people's standards.
Makes you wonder where your money is going.

 

[iProbot]

Dublin please!!!!

Nairobi first!!!!

 

[~Shard~]

I think I'm actually in a better position than some of you. You see, some of you live in larger, major cities which could easily have an Apple Store - so for you, it is frustrating having to wait, wondering when you might get one, since you most likely (eventually) will. However for me, I know right now that my city is NEVER going to receive an Apple Store, so I don't have to worry about playing the frustrating waiting game. I've resigned myself to the fact that I'll just have to visit Apple Stores when I'm traveling, whether it's visiting my friends in London, my brother in New York, driving south into the States, or hopefully in the future, going through Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, etc. here in Canada. Hmm, or I suppose I could always move too...

 

[chrisblore]

And I thought John Lewis had a good selection of Macs and Apple goodies! Can't wait for them to open a store in Bluewater themselves and then maybe I can beg my nan to lend me some money to buy an iMac 20" . I know, I could just buy it from John Lews or the Apple Store online, but she'd rather wait until we can get to the real thing in person - I can see a trip to Regent's Street coming up very soon!

 

[AdeFowler]

I'm in Kent so can't wait for the Bluewater store. I wonder how big it'll be; maybe just a mini-store

Apple must have agreed on the site as they rarely announce anything; time for a trip to Bluewater to do some AppStore spotting

 

[mightyskin]

Apple Store Bull Ring Birmingham

When I realised I could catch my train to london from Moor Street Station (next to my bus stop) instead of traipsing across town I suddenly had 40 minutes to spare and I was right next to the Bull Ring. As I had apple stores on my brain (guess why i was going to london) i thought lets see if i can go apple store hunting in brum. A bit of detective work and i found it was going to be in the location of what used to be Clinton Cards which was on the third floor.
Well basically I got the escalators up there had a quick look around and took a few photos. I have to confess being a newbie I'm not exactly sure the best way to put the photos on here - what i've done is attached them to this message (i could work out what to do with the "attach image" button) - if this doesnt work or its not considered the way to do this please let me know and i will correct.
Altogether I took 8 images. Images 1 and 2 are basically photos of the store front. Obviously just an empty store front at the moment. The store is no where near the size of the one in london. The width can be determined by the size of the doors seen in the picture. You could probably get a sense of the depth by looking at adjacent stores (didnt have time to look). I assume that Apple will probably use both floors that are available.Picture 3 gives a view of the store from the side.
Pictures 4 and 5 show the 2 stores adjacent. To the left is a Gap store that from memory is about twice the size of the apple store. To the right is a H&M store
Pictures 6,7, & 8 show the view looking out. Picture 6 looking to the left and the entrance that leads towards the high street/new street (although 3rd floor it is ground level towrds this entrance
Picture 7 is looking to the right. Across the drop just to the left of the central drop is a Dixons store. Picture 8 just shows the store opposite.

 

[mightyskin]

birmingham Apple store part 2

The fional 3 pics. Sorry the numbers dont relate to the pic order but you should be able to suss out which is which

 

[karlb]

Birstol apple store

fingers crossed for Bristol (please.....)

There is an apple store in Bristol, UK. It's across from temple meads station.

 

[thequicksilver]

Good work mightyskin. I'm in Wolverhampton, so I can't wait for the Bullring store to open. (I desperately want a Lucky Bag. )

 

[shabbasuraj]

An Apple store will open at Yorkdale and the new Vaughan Mills shopping mall. Why? Because Yorkdale is the 2nd busiest shopping mall in Canada, and like researchers have already shown Apple, 25% of Canada lives within 100 km of the Vaughan Mills location.

Honestly though, the new Vaughn Mills mall selection of stores is really nothing to be desired. Aside from Bass Pro, many of those stores are not that special especially when compared to either Yorkdale or Eaton Centre. i.e., any strip mall has the same selection of goods. (At least I think so).

Thus, I vote the new Apple store go downtown first where Apple can get the real widespread exposure it deserves, in the Dominion of Ontario.

 

[fatbarstard]

More stores...

Well I can say for one that I doubt that an Apple store will ever open in my town. Being just over 1 million people in a country of jsut over 4 million... but the nearest real 'big' city is Sydney and I suspect that Apple will be looking to open a store there sometime in the next 18 months... maybe one in Melbourne as well...

Given the reports about the London store opening I think there is an opportunity to run a book on the number of people expected at the next store opening... Ladbrokes in the UK must be up from pricing a wager or two in this direction?? You could argue that it is a form of sport - maybe a bet on the British fascination with standing in queues??

meanwhile I will have to settle for Harvey Norman... useless staff and crap layout of stores - pile it high and sell it not so very cheap... and their ads really really suck...

 

[SimonAnorak]

When I realised I could catch my train to london from Moor Street Station (next to my bus stop) instead of traipsing across town I suddenly had 40 minutes to spare and I was right next to the Bull Ring. As I had apple stores on my brain (guess why i was going to london) i thought lets see if i can go apple store hunting in brum. A bit of detective work and i found it was going to be in the location of what used to be Clinton Cards which was on the third floor.
Well basically I got the escalators up there had a quick look around and took a few photos. I have to confess being a newbie I'm not exactly sure the best way to put the photos on here - what i've done is attached them to this message (i could work out what to do with the "attach image" button) - if this doesnt work or its not considered the way to do this please let me know and i will correct.
Altogether I took 8 images. Images 1 and 2 are basically photos of the store front. Obviously just an empty store front at the moment. The store is no where near the size of the one in london. The width can be determined by the size of the doors seen in the picture. You could probably get a sense of the depth by looking at adjacent stores (didnt have time to look). I assume that Apple will probably use both floors that are available.Picture 3 gives a view of the store from the side.
Pictures 4 and 5 show the 2 stores adjacent. To the left is a Gap store that from memory is about twice the size of the apple store. To the right is a H&M store
Pictures 6,7, & 8 show the view looking out. Picture 6 looking to the left and the entrance that leads towards the high street/new street (although 3rd floor it is ground level towrds this entrance
Picture 7 is looking to the right. Across the drop just to the left of the central drop is a Dixons store. Picture 8 just shows the store opposite.

Hello all, first post time!

Are you sure that is the exact unit in the Bull Ring? It's a bit disappointing sizewise or will in be one of these new fangled mini stores? Hope not!

Cheers,

Simon

 

[johnnyjibbs]

Realistically, we can't expect the Birmingham and Bluewater stores to be that big - because the big one has just opened in London (biggest in the world in fact). Not sure about the Birmingham one, but I expect the Bluewater store will be just a single floor.

 

[Agent Smith]

BAH. Toronto already has great Mac stores. I hope they open it in the burbs.

No!!! If anything, it should be opened in North T.O. Two of the best Apple resellers are in Mississauga and Oakville; Red Tag Computers and Canadian Computers respectively. I guess if it were to be in the 'burbs, then Markham or the Shwa'd be good (not knowing the reseller situation in the east... )

 

[feature]

looks like i will have to go on a road trip from montreal to toronto, for the grand opening

also, for those who know the answer, how many of those apple surprise bags to they have in supply?

aethier

Ditto...how long before we get one in Montreal...i've got the over/under at 3 years...

 

[SilvorX]

If Toronto's getting one, Vancouver can't be far behind - I'm surprised in some repsects that Tornto is receiving theirs before Vancouver, actually!

In what respects are you surprised? Toronto has a much larger professional TV and film base for the pro side and a larger population. So why should Vancouver even be considered???

toronto vs west debate time lol

I'dd love to see an apple store in manitoba, although it'll never happen, although many of the school divisions in manitoba are mainly mac based, including the school divsion i used to go to school in.. it's not that hard to find a mac user out here.. hard to believe.. it just needs the right spots to look.

I thought there was going to be an apple store in montreal.. hmm guess not

but to me, torontonians and vancouverites (or whatever they are) are the most "sheltered" people in canada.. meaning that they think they're the whole nation on their own.. sure toronto has 4 million ppl alone but meh.. i love living in the middle of nowhere

 

[Windowlicker]

Great day though - it was AMAZING to see the dual 30inch displays working - I played with them, then watched a guy open Safari, and resize it to cover both displays, all the time cackling to himself with joy!

I can imagine.. We have one 30" (and a 23") connected to a G5 at work.. Even that is amazing. Was pretty nice to play UT2004 on the 30" display!! ;D

 

[JJS]

Toronto:

I can't see Apple using any other location aside from Yorkdale or Eatons Centre, possible (slim) runners up would be Fairview mall or Bayview village.. All the Apple stores I've ever been to are all in high ends malls. Vaughan Mills shopping mall is NOT a high end mall, I would be shocked. Stand-alone location in the core would be nice but I think there are too many good Mac stores in that area (also why Yorkdale I think is the #1 location). Lets see.

Waiting with baited for the itunes store!

 

[~Shard~]

In what respects are you surprised? Toronto has a much larger professional TV and film base for the pro side and a larger population. So why should Vancouver even be considered???

Well, without getting into the whole "west vs. east" debate, Toronto seems to have more of a simple, straight-forward, business-minded, "corporate", "commercial", call it what you will, mindset. But Vancouver's got the Pacific Ocean, the Island, The Rockies, etc. etc. - just more of a laid-back attitude from my experience. Also from my experience, a large number of Torontonians I have met, (friends, family, business partners, strangers), seem to think they are the center of Canada and have a somewhat arrogant attitude - it seems to me like Toronto is trying to be like a New York, London, Syndey, etc., but instead is just a wannabe world capital. Well, Toronto has the smog, pollution and higher costs associated with those bigger cities at least, that's a start I suppose... (I could go on about the horrid state of Toronto's air and how it's practically unhealthy to live there, but that's a topic for another thread...) From my experience, Vancouver, although very costly as well, just has more of that "think different" mentality which Toronto is lacking in my opinion.

Just speaking from my experiences of course, you're free to disagree.

Lastly, you need to use "[/QUOTE]" to close quotes properly - just a word of advice for ya.