< A href="http://www.apple.com">Apple Computer announced Thursday the six locations where it will open new, smaller, boutique-style Apple Stores. The company will launch the mini retail stores this Saturday at 10:00 AM local time with three stores in California, two in New Jersey, and one in Washington state. The locations are:
- Palo Alto, CA ( Stanford Shopping Center)
- San Jose, CA (Oakridge Mall)
- Santa Rosa, CA (Santa Rosa Plaza)
- Tukwila, WA (Southcenter Mall)
- Bridgewater, NJ (Bridgewater Commons)
- Rockaway, NJ. (Rockaway Townsquare Mall)
The mini store concept was originally announced by Peter Oppenheimer, Apple Chief Financial Officer, during Wednesdayis conference call with Wall Street analysts, but details were not immediately forthcoming.
In addition to being smaller, Apple said the new mini retail stores will feature "stainless steel walls and seamless white floors and ceilings." This marks a significant departure from Appleis current store layout, which is more reminiscent of a Gap outlet. The company has not posted any images of this new layout as of this writing.
Apple said that the new format will features the full Mac portable line, the new iMac G5, the full iPod product line, some third party products, a (smaller) Genius Bar, and on-site repair of all Apple products. Each store will be half the size of Appleis medium-format store design.
Apple is also opening another of its medium-format stores this Saturday in Newark, DE, in the Christiana Mall. All told, Apple will have 93 retail locations and hopes to have 100 stores opening worldwide by the end of 2004, Mr. Oppenheimer.
[Correction: We originally reported that the new mini retail stores would include Appleis full Mac product line. The stores will actually have the full portable Mac line, as well as the iMac G5. Power Mac G5s will not be carried, and the article has been corrected accordingly. - Editor]