Apple is planning to open a magnificent new flagship store in the heart of Chicago, according to a new report that claims the iPhone maker has zeroed in on 401 N. Michigan Ave. Apple already has one retail store on Michigan Avenue, but supposedly plans to shut down that one and move a half-mile south to the southern tip of the Magnificent Mile.
The new flagship Apple store will be built mostly below ground, according to Chicago Real Estate Daily. The move would help further legitimize the area as a top retail destination.
Once Apple moves into the new building, the store would be accessible at street level through a new glass structure on Pioneer Court. Most of the store’s space is planned to occupy space underneath the plaza that was formerly used as a food court for the office building.
The Chicago-based Zeller Realty Group currently owns the 35-story building, which boasts tenants such as ABC Inc., Accretive Healthcare, Fidelity Investments, MTV Networks and University of Chicago’s Graduate School of Business.
Apple has occupied its 30,000-square-foot store in the heart of Magnificent Mile at 679 N. Michigan Ave. since 2003. By moving down to the southern tip of the famous retail corridor, Apple could help bring a wave of new retailers all the way to Millennium Park and beyond.
