Apple Store Openings Later This Month: The Westchester, Third Street Promenade, Bangkok, and Champs-Élysées

[sinsin07]

hopefully they did something about the horrible noise levels in the santa monica store. it's technically my closest but it was literally painful to go in there

Do tell us, how painful:

 

[Doctor Q]

I visit Apple Stores to shop or for Genius Bar help, but sometimes I visit a store just to see how it "looks and feels."

Here's a shot I took this month in the Apple Store in Amsterdam, which features a spiral staircase.

 

[Moi Ici]

Belfast is in Ireland. That is not a political opinion, it is geographic fact.


Prime retail property is insanely expensive in Dublin. Irish people do, on average, earn and spend more than people in the UK (the average income is about 50% higher) and, with the highest iPhone market share in Europe, they clearly like Apple products, but the likely success of a Dublin Apple store would still not be enough to justify the cost. That will not change anytime soon.

They have a lot more to gain from investing in less developed territories where a high-profile store helps to firm up their foothold as a premium brand and status symbol. The new Bangkok Apple store is a perfect example of that and, as the anchor tenant in a $1.5 billion development, I would guess that they pay no rent and may even have received a substantial contribution towards their build cost, perhaps even all of it - Apple's credibility adds that much value to overblown developments like IconSiam, allowing the developers to sell tiny 40 m2 studio condos, located in towers 70 stories high, for over $300,000, or a 60 m2 1-bed for over $500,000. Expect a lot more of this from Apple.

Ok Donnacha, The REPUBLIC of Ireland!! That better for ya?

 

[weckart]

I know right....perplexing

I think there might be tax implications if Apple opened a trading arm in the Republic, through which it has channelled all of its European sales.