Apple’s very first retail store opened its doors 10 years ago on May 19, 2001, at Tysons Corner in McLean, Virginia. Ten years later, the experiment many pundits expected to fizzle out is still going strong with over 300 stores open around the world and more on the way.
Inside the Aspen Grove Apple Store opening, October 2001
With that first store opening, Apple started down a path to take control over its retail presence and the shopping experience customers were presented with every time they went shopping for a new Mac. At the time, Apple was relying on other retailers to push its products, and in many cases that experience was less than stellar to say the least.
Apple’s approach to retail focused on the user experience, providing after sale services and support, and making its stores feel more like a destination or community center instead of just another store in a mall. That plan paid off in a big way as customers filled Apple’s retail locations and more stores began popping up around the U.S. and around the world.
“Literally half the store is devoted to solutions, because people don’t just want to buy personal computers any more,” Apple CEO Steve Jobs said in the video introducing the stores. “They want to know what they can do with them.”
When Apple opened its first stores in May 2001, the iPod wasn’t shipping yet, Mac OS X 10.0 was still the current operating system, and there weren’t any Macs with Intel processors yet.
Customers line up for the Aspen Grove Apple Store opening
The introduction of Mac OS X 10.1 was the first major OS update to roll out after Apple’s stores opened, and was greeted with long lines outside the company’s retail locations. That was in October 2001, and Apple had already opened several more stores.
A few weeks later on October 23, 2001, the iPod hit store shelves, and customers lined up yet again. Long lines for product launches became common place at Apple’s stores, and in some cases those lines started forming days or even weeks ahead of launch days.
The Flatiron Crossing Apple Store opening, May 2006
With those early Apple Store days ten years in the past, the company has opened major locations in New York City, Boston, London, Beijing, and several other cities around the world. The company offers in-store training, seminars, technical assistance at its Genius Bars, concerts, and more.
Since the stores first opened, Apple’s product line has grown to include more than just its Mac computers and accessories. Customers can now buy Macs, iPods, the iPhone and iPad.
Apple’s stores offer an iconic look that other company’s are happy to copy — most recently Microsoft with its own retail locations. Microsoft has even hired away Apple Store managers and staff to work at its own stores.
While Apple’s retail efforts regularly make the news for long lines and heavy retail traffic, they also make headlines for their problems — namely burglaries, assaults and even shootings. The store’s iconic glass fronts and well organized product layouts have proven popular with the smash-and-grab crowd, and the popularity of the company’s products have led to assaults, and even the loss of fingers over iPads.
Recently a security guard at a California Apple Store was involved in a shootout with suspects that broke into the store. The incident left one of the suspects dead, and the other two were taken into police custody.
Customers fill the Park Meadows Apple Store opening, April 2007
Apple plans to keep opening new stores around the world thanks to the heavy traffic the locations draw in. The company sold over 796,000 Macs through its stores during the last fiscal quarter, accounting for about one out of every five Macs sold during the period.
The company will no doubt continue to work on finding new ways to entice customers into its stores, and the next changes could come as early as next week. Rumors claim Apple plans to roll out something new in its stores in the next few days.
Apparently Apple will be blacking out its store windows on Saturday to keep the public from seeing what employees are setting up, and the staff will was said to be prepping to watch a long list of training videos.
As usual, Apple isn’t responding to rumors and speculation, so there isn’t any confirmation that the company has plans for a new service or product launch this weekend.
Whether or not Apple does roll out something new this weekend, its retail venture has already proven to be a success, and it doesn’t look like that will change any time soon.