New SF Apple Store Brings Feel of Fifth Avenue to West Coast

Pete Mortensen ()

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Being in an extended turkey coma this morning, I didn’t quite get out of bed early enough to hit the brand-new Apple Store in San Francisco’s Marina, but fortunately the amazing SFist (t-shirt picture) and IFO Apple Store (all else) were all over the opening. Based on the reportage, it sounds pretty stunning. And hey, 1000 free t-shirts!
Chestnutshirts

Gary Allen of IFO Apple Store had a lot of nice things to say:

The store is definitely unique, combining individual features from various stores–or no stores at all. The façade lacks the usual stainless steel and uses white masonry like the Lincoln Road store. The ceiling is about 15 feet tall, unlike any other store. There are no window displays, which would obscure the view of the store interior. And the suspended Apple logo duplicates the Fifth Avenue store. It definitely establishes a presence for Apple in another neighborhood of San Francisco.

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Nice. You have to love Apple’s commitment to not stand still with their Apple Store recipe. Each store has its own unique qualities. Fabulous.

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About the author

Petemortensen

Pete Mortensen is a design strategist for consulting firm Jump Associates and the co-author of Wired to Care: How Companies Prosper When They Create Widespread Empathy, a book and blog that are significantly more interesting than you might initially think. Pete's particular Apple avocations are both around design--interface and industrial. Follow him on Twitter!

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  • Doug S.

    Oooh… shiny….

    I have to say, Apple knows how to create a very seductive retail experience. I consider myself a pretty hard-headed shopper, but I’d rather go to an Apple store and pay full price + sales tax than by mail order to shave a few bucks. It’s like shopping in a museum — like you could go to the Louvre, whip out your credit card, and come home with the Mona Lisa. :-)

  • adam bucci

    looks like the new store in vegas.

  • Alex

    For me the Apple retail experience usually gets ruined when one the their employees opens his mouth and it become painfully obvious he was folding t-shirts at the GAP the week before. Luckily for the Apple most their shoppers at their retail stores don’t know enough about computers to notice this fact. I’ll keep buying my stuff form the website and save a few bucks and not stand in line at the checkout.

  • Eduardo

    I have to totally agree with Alex. The Apple retail store has (in my experience) the worst employees. I hate going to them for any assistance or questions. Luckily, I usually more than their retail employees; thus I stick to on-line purchases.

  • Josiah Carberry

    Alex,

    You really should give them another try. I’ve known quite a few Apple Retail employees and they were/are all pretty savvy. That being said … I wonder how you can get really talented/experienced folks at 10.00 per hour? … and those classes they offer for a little over 2 bucks an hour .. really can’t be beat.