Apple's Tiny WestQuay Store Getting Much-Needed Expansion This Weekend

[MacRumors]

One of Apple's tiniest retail stores, at the WestQuay shopping center in Southampton, UK, is getting a much-needed expansion this weekend.

Apple's tiny WestQuay retail store opened in February 2007​

The current store, which recently turned 10 years old, will close on Friday evening for the final time, according to multiple people familiar with the matter. On Saturday, a larger store will open down the hall, taking over two units previously occupied by British retailers Sports Direct and Monsoon, the people said.

Lending credence to our report is a WestQuay floor plan with two vacant units—SU41 and MSU2—just steps away from Apple's current location in the shopping center. In addition, when we searched for Today at Apple events in the Southampton area, the WestQuay store had no workshops scheduled until Saturday.

Apple and WestQuay shopping center management did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Apple retail stores have seen a significant increase in foot traffic since the WestQuay location opened in February 2007, prior to the original iPhone launch. The larger store will be a welcomed change for both Apple retail employees and customers, and it should benefit from an updated appearance as well.

Apple's financial chief Luca Maestri recently said Apple collectively welcomed over 300 million visitors to its retail stores last quarter.

"It was a very busy quarter for our online and retail stores, which collectively welcomed over 300 million visitors," he said. "In addition to our spectacular new store at the Dubai Mall, we opened our first stores in Singapore and in Taiwan during the quarter, expanding our total store footprint to 497 stores."

"In May, we kicked off Today at Apple, with new in-store programming from music to photography to art and coding, and our stores collectively hosted 87,000 sessions during the quarter," he added. "We have entered a new chapter in retail, with unique and rewarding experiences for our customers."

Article Link: Apple's Tiny WestQuay Store Getting Much-Needed Expansion This Weekend

 

[Appleaker]

Might not be an entirely good thing, their store arranging has gone downhill.

 

[grooveattack]

Good for them.

 

[marklemac]

The Sports direct store was massive ! 3 floors wasn't it ? Wonder what they will fill it with, and taking the Monsoon store over too.

 

[kkamann]

Gotta give kudos to MR for this obscure story. Many times people pile on MR for delivering ****, but they still deliver the goods on off-beat stories that don't necessarily apply to the masses.

Cue the "sheeple" hate comments.

 

[macduke]

Funny that the Apple Store is across from the "next" store.

 

[Planey28]

Could do with a similar expansion to the Touchwood Store in Solihull.

 

[TheGoog]

This is much needed. The old store is a cramped mess.

 

[Milese3]

Exciting to see my local store finally get an expansion!

 

[virginblue4]

Yay! Very happy with this news, the current store is just too small.

 

[jimthing]

Is it me, or are all our UK shopping centres becoming mono culture branded spaces, that all look the same? Where's the originality?

This isn't about Apple specifically, obviously, but they all have the same brands of shops / restaurants / cinemas, often run by the same companies, with the near exact same interiors (for apparent 'familiarity' reasoning). Eg. the Spanish massive Zara group brands: Zara, Massimo Dutti, Pull and Bear, Bershka, Zara Home, et al. Or the same restaurant chains: Jamie's Italian, Bill's, Byron, Carluccio's, Starbucks, Costa, etc.

The opportunities for small and interesting independent's are often left for dust for various reasons (rent costs, business rates, market forces of malls, etc.), but the interest for us, the customer, is seemingly the last thing decent malls are bothered about.

One has to look no further than the US Westfield 'brand' of malls. I mean why do they all have to share the same name for starters. In London, you say to a friend 'I went to Westfield', and then have to qualify it with 'sorry to be precise, I mean Westfield London in west London, not Westfield Stratford in east London'?! (Could they not have just given them distinctive names to start with?!)

Of course, it's like a self-fulfilling prophecy. For if we as customers are forced or chose to patronise these mono cultured places, then they in turn think this is 'what the people want' and repeat the exercise. Somewhat of a conundrum.

 

[576316]

The Apple Store in Highcross, Leicester could seriously do with a new unit. It's such a tiny store. The H&M next to it is enormous, but I doubt they'd be looking to move out any time soon.

Edit: I've just noticed the old store in this article is also next to a very large H&M unit. Funny how that works.

 

[SaxPlayer]

The Southampton store is my "local" Apple Store even though it's a near 50 mile round trip for me. I've owned Apple gear for well over a decade and have only been to the store once in all that time. It was so small I didn't see the need to rush back....

If the new version is much larger (which seems likely) ithen I'll certainly check it out. However, I'd be far happier if they opened a store in Bournemouth. ;-)

 

[jimthing]

The Southampton store is my "local" Apple Store even though it's a near 50 mile round trip for me. I've owned Apple gear for well over a decade and have only been to the store once in all that time. It was so small I didn't see the need to rush back....

If the new version is much larger (which seems likely) ithen I'll certainly check it out. However, I'd be far happier if they opened a store in Bournemouth. ;-)

Bournemouth -> Brighton? ...just a thought – yes I know the bloody awful traffic makes the journey take an age! ;-/

 

[SteveJobs2.0]

@littlestorethatcould

 

[rodpascoe]

This is true. I had a meeting with Apple a month ago in Southampton and the manager I was speaking to told me this then. The top floor is going to have a massive cinema screened training room apparently.

 

[apolloa]

Good! Been to that store a few times and it's horribly cramped, especially when all the kids are in it playing around! Best store I find is in Bath, much bigger and more spread out, better experience.
[doublepost=1502234713][/doublepost]

The Southampton store is my "local" Apple Store even though it's a near 50 mile round trip for me. I've owned Apple gear for well over a decade and have only been to the store once in all that time. It was so small I didn't see the need to rush back....

If the new version is much larger (which seems likely) ithen I'll certainly check it out. However, I'd be far happier if they opened a store in Bournemouth. ;-)

Is Bath not closer to you? They have a lovely big store there, about two and a half to three times the size of the one in Southampton.

 

[jonnysods]

**adds 6 more tables of iPads and iphones**

Renovations completed!

 

[sfobear]

...One has to look no further than the US Westfield 'brand' of malls...

Oddly enough, you can't blame us in the US for Westfield; it started out as an Australian company and didn't get over to the states until the 70's. But I certainly get your point, you really couldn't tell what city you were in, or country, in the middle of a Westfield mall.

 

[simonmet]

That’s the cutest little baby store I ever did see!

Is that a four stool Genius Bar?

This must be the smallest ever!

 

[ct2k7]

The Southampton store is my "local" Apple Store even though it's a near 50 mile round trip for me. I've owned Apple gear for well over a decade and have only been to the store once in all that time. It was so small I didn't see the need to rush back....

If the new version is much larger (which seems likely) ithen I'll certainly check it out. However, I'd be far happier if they opened a store in Bournemouth. ;-)

Solutions Inc was never a good replacement for the store.

 

[SaxPlayer]

Is Bath not closer to you? They have a lovely big store there, about two and a half to three times the size of the one in Southampton.

Thanks for the suggestion. The Bath store would be about a 140 mile round trip, so no it's not closer than Southampton for me. However, if I'm up that way at any time (I have family in Bristol) then I'll take your tip on board and leave earlier so I can take a diversion. Bath is a nice place to visit anyway.
[doublepost=1502264025][/doublepost]

Solutions Inc was never a good replacement for the store.

I agree. I've been in to Solutions a few times but that's just as small as Southampton's Apple Store. The staff seemed nice enough so I'm not knocking it - at least there's a dedicated Apple place in Bournemouth even if it's not run by Apple themselves.
[doublepost=1502264117][/doublepost]

Bournemouth -> Brighton? ...just a thought – yes I know the bloody awful traffic makes the journey take an age! ;-/

Traffic is terrible going west or east from the south coast. The people who built the decent roads all assumed that everyone always wants to go to London.

 

[iGeek2014]

I agree the store in Highcross, Leicester should be bigger as should the stores in Sheffield's Meadowhall and Birmingham's Bull Ring.

 

[rctlr]

Is it me, or are all our UK shopping centres becoming mono culture branded spaces, that all look the same? Where's the originality?

One has to look no further than the US Westfield 'brand' of malls. I mean why do they all have to share the same name for starters. In London, you say to a friend 'I went to Westfield', and then have to qualify it with 'sorry to be precise, I mean Westfield London in west London, not Westfield Stratford in east London'?! (Could they not have just given them distinctive names to start with?!)

Of course, it's like a self-fulfilling prophecy. For if we as customers are forced or chose to patronise these mono cultured places, then they in turn think this is 'what the people want' and repeat the exercise. Somewhat of a conundrum.

For me Westfield London it's like the out of town Supermarket - convenience.
I prefer to go here, rather than deal with going into the middle of "town" and cope with people traffic on Oxford Street, Regent Street and Bond Street.
Granted it is a US Style Shopping Mall, but we've had out of town supermarkets for some time now (first one I went to was in the mid 70s').

 

[apolloa]

Thanks for the suggestion. The Bath store would be about a 140 mile round trip, so no it's not closer than Southampton for me. However, if I'm up that way at any time (I have family in Bristol) then I'll take your tip on board and leave earlier so I can take a diversion. Bath is a nice place to visit anyway.
[doublepost=1502264025][/doublepost]

I agree. I've been in to Solutions a few times but that's just as small as Southampton's Apple Store. The staff seemed nice enough so I'm not knocking it - at least there's a dedicated Apple place in Bournemouth even if it's not run by Apple themselves.
[doublepost=1502264117][/doublepost]

Traffic is terrible going west or east from the south coast. The people who built the decent roads all assumed that everyone always wants to go to London.

Haha, that's how it is for me, my sisters family are just outside Southampton so when I'm there and go into West Quey that's the store I'd visit, it's about 70 miles one way for me, Bath is about 40 or 50 miles? And so that's where I go now.
Bonus with West Quey though is the John Lewis store.