Former retail boss Ron Johnson is finally opening up about his long run at Apple. In a brand new interview, he talked about what it was really like to design the very first Apple Store locations from scratch. Johnson worked closely with the company’s famous co-founder. He shared stories about how the two leaders pushed each other to build the most successful retail shops in the world.
The famous founder hated indoor malls and large building columns
Johnson joined the tech giant in 2000 and stayed until 2011. During that time, he had to deal with intense feedback from Steve Jobs. For example, Jobs hated the idea of opening shops inside traditional malls because he felt they were full of terrible stores. The former CEO also hated buildings that had visible support columns. Johnson actually had to move several planned retail locations just to keep his boss happy. Any store design that included columns required personal approval from the top boss.
Despite the friction, they managed to create massive hits together. Johnson helped launch the famous glass cube store on Fifth Avenue in New York. His main goal was to create a space where people could learn how to use a Mac to burn CDs or edit photos, rather than just a place to buy things.
Johnson stayed at the company out of deep personal respect
Even though the work environment was very demanding, the two men built a strong friendship over the years. Jobs knew that Johnson understood the retail world better than anyone else. Because of this trust, the retail boss had the freedom to pick his own team and create his own vision for the shops.
When Johnson finally decided it was time to leave and become the CEO of JCPenney, he handled his exit very carefully. Out of total respect for his friend, he agreed to stay in his role until Jobs passed away. Today, the design choices they made together still define how the brand sells its products. The clean tables, the open spaces, and the focus on helping customers all started from those early arguments and compromises.
