Tim Cook Drops in Unexpectedly at Apple Store in Marseille, France

[MacRumors]

Apple CEO Tim Cook paid an unexpected visit to an Apple Store in the port of Marseille, France, earlier today, according to French tech blogs Mac4ever.com and iPhone.fr.

Both staff and shoppers got an unexpected surprise when Cook arrived unannounced at the commercial shopping mall of Terrasses du Port, where an Apple Store - the country's 20th - opened last May.

Photo: Philippe Gouy​

Cook strolled around the store talking with Apple employees, chatting to customers, and having his picture taken, before receiving a farewell applause. It's not clear if Cook's trip to France is just a casual visit or something more business-focused, but we'll let you know if we learn more.

Énorme surprise aux @LesTDP le PDG d@Apple @tim_cook en visite au store! Les salariés étaient meme pas au courant... pic.twitter.com/uAqbhS2YfB - michael levy (@mlevylaprovence) February 5, 2017

In July of last year, it was reported that Apple was planning to open a research laboratory in Grenoble, France that will focus on developing improved imaging sensors and techniques for its iOS devices. Apple was said to be hiring 30 engineers to work at the research lab, which will span 800 square meters.

Update: Tim Cook has tweeted (in French): "Delighted to be back in France to meet our talented team in Marseille."

Ravi d'être de nouveau en France et de rencontrer notre talentueuse équipe à Marseille. 🇫🇷 pic.twitter.com/ihJusWQP2o - Tim Cook (@tim_cook) February 5, 2017

Update 2: Later on Sunday, Cook was also seen checking out the Apple Store at the Louvre in Paris.

Article Link: Tim Cook Drops in Unexpectedly at Apple Store in Marseille, France

 

[Kabeyun]

Say what you will about Tim Cook (and around here people sure do) it would be pretty cool if I were browsing around an Apple Store and Tim Cook strolled in and struck up a conversation.

 

[gim]

Say what you will about Tim Cook (and around here people sure do) it would be pretty cool if I were browsing around an Apple Store and Tim Cook strolled in and struck up a conversation.

I'm convinced even all the Tim Cook haters here at MR would be excited

 

[needfx]

Monsieur Cook? Oh mon Dieu!!

 

[skinned66]

Say what you will about Tim Cook (and around here people sure do) it would be pretty cool if I were browsing around an Apple Store and Tim Cook strolled in and struck up a conversation.

If that scenario did occur I can say with absolute certainty that it wouldn't be cool for him.

 

[AngerDanger]

This article takes a dark turn if you swap a few words in the title (as I did upon first read).

 

[rudychidiac]

Tim Cuisiner (Lame joke, don't hurt me)

 

[ghost187]

Initially I thought I read;

"Tim Cook drops unexpectedly from Apple."

Man, that would've made my day!

 

[H2SO4]

I'm convinced even all the Tim Cook haters here at MR would be excited

Not really. I just don't get it.
When I was younger I met a few celebs, but before that I wasn't sure what to think about them except that they were almost heroes. So after meeting the first one my thoughts were, ‘Oh. He/she’s just like me. Their crap probably still stinks just like mine’.
If he, or anybody else for that matter popped into a building where I was, I’d not do much more than bat an eyelid. Once I’ve met and had some interaction I may think different, but until that point he means no more and no less to me than anybody else.

 

[MentalFloss]

Yes, I know that kind of "unannounced" visit where the manager asks everyone to be there at 7am to scrub the floor, and the less pleasant employees get a paid day off.
[doublepost=1486319149][/doublepost]

If that scenario did occur I can say with absolute certainty that it wouldn't be cool for him.

I wish he could have been at the Apple store last week where my pregnant wife had to spend 90+ minutes to get her iPhone fixed after a simple SIM card change had near-bricked it. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.

 

[djcerla]

Some years ago I had a dream about meeting Steve Jobs. In the dream I was so excited that I couldn't find anything intelligent to tell him, so I ended up with very generic congratulations, that he met with a chilly grin before disappearing.
[doublepost=1486319426][/doublepost]

I wish he could have been at the Apple store last week where my pregnant wife had to spend 90+ minutes to get her iPhone fixed

Gift her a Samsung, so the next fix would take 90 days rather than 90 minutes.

 

[44267547]

I think it would be a pleasant surprise your CEO showing up at an Apple Store. Not many Apple employee's have the opportunity of meeting their CEO of a company this large, where they are stationed world wide.

 

[Septembersrain]

My reaction would be to look busy. I remember when I was working for Esurance, our new CEO came to visit. A lot of people halted calls and were trying to visit/take pictures with him. I just kept taking calls and didn't pop my head above the cubicle. Maybe I'm weird.

I have avoided big crowds, celebrities, etc since I can remember. I hope those workers felt better about it than I would. I'd be questioning what the heck did we do to warrant a visit and I hope it's good!

 

[Michaelgtrusa]

Happy fans to see him.

 

[nfl46]

I like this! Not everyday you see the CEO of a major company pop up in the store. Pretty awesome!

 

[CarlJ]

If that scenario did occur I can say with absolute certainty that it wouldn't be cool for him.

So you're saying you'd be an impolite jerk to someone you'd never met before? Someone who has never interacted with you personally? How nice. And you believe your unhappiness at not being able to buy the exact kind of electronic device you want, warrants such boorish behavior?

The other interpretation would be that you meant it is Kabeyun, the OP, rather than you, that Tim Cook would thoroughly dislike meeting. Have you and Tim Cook discussed Kabeyun often?

 

[Kabeyun]

If that scenario did occur I can say with absolute certainty that it wouldn't be cool for him.

If by this you mean you'd give him a piece of your mind over Apple things you don't like, either A) you'd offer constructive criticism, which I suspect he'd take just fine, or B) you'd dress down a complete stranger in public over electronics, in which case I can say with absolute certainly that I hope we'd all have better manners than that.

 

[downtherabbithole]

It'd be funny if no one recognized him. Seriously though, it'd be like if the armchair quarterbacks actually ran into the players they're so critical of. It's a hard job, I don't hold him accountable for Apple's few failures.

 

[Applebot1]

Say what you will about Tim Cook (and around here people sure do) it would be pretty cool if I were browsing around an Apple Store and Tim Cook strolled in and struck up a conversation.

Yea not his greatest fan but classy thing to do. Great to see.

 

[simonmet]

I'm convinced even all the Tim Cook haters here at MR would be excited

I'm convinced you're wrong.

I wouldn't be excited. Unless of course he was handing out free MacBook Pros or something. But something tells me that wasn't the case.

I would've probably pretended I didn't know who he was and certainly would've made no effort to approach or speak with him. I might've said something like "these MacBooks are too expensive and I don't really like the keyboard" or "I wish they didn't get rid of optical audio and the SD card slot" if he asked me personally what I thought about them.

 

[CarlJ]

I hope those workers felt better about it than I would. I'd be questioning what the heck did we do to warrant a visit and I hope it's good!

I'd venture a guess that he was in Marseilles for some other reason and just thought it'd be interesting to pop in and have a look around. Maybe someone had said to him, "oh, the new Marseille store is nice" and he thought he'd see it for himself. There isn't always an Ulterior Motive.

 

[simonmet]

Yea not his greatest fan but classy thing to do. Great to see.

Classy?

Sad that CEOs are usually considered so far above the average worker that the mere thought of them interacting with their regular pleb staff is considered classy.

 

[needfx]

This article takes a dark turn if you swap "in" and "unexpectedly" in the title (as I did upon first read).

View attachment 687124

"is there a first aid kit around here"

 

[robeddie]

Classy?

Sad that CEOs are usually considered so far above the average worker that the mere thought of them interacting with their regular pleb staff is considered classy.

You are so right my friend.
Its amazing - the number of people
who 'ooh and ahh' over 'celebrities' and act like they were touched by jesus if said 'celebrity' is in the same room for a minute and says hi.

 

[monster620ie]

i don't think i would care that much other than bat an eye for sec.

If he moved all manufacturing of iPhones back to the States then .......