The first Apple Store opened 22 years ago. How Steve Jobs Created Apple Temples

The job returned to Apple in the late 90s and began building the company many years ago. Some Cupertinites abandoned unpromising developments, for example, one of the first “under the knife” line of adjustment computers went under the knife. message block.

Then the company released the first generation of the legendary line of computers iMac. It was the first product to be developed in dense fusion. Steve Jobs And Jonathan Quince.

Even then, there was an idea about the nearest ecosystem of Apple gadgets and services. The head of the company was confused only by the conditions for the sale of apple technology.

How did the first two Apple stores appear

One of the first two Apple Stores. McLean, Virginia.

I didn’t like the job, because all Apple gadgets were sold only in specialized electronics stores. They couldn’t accidentally drop by and see cool gadgets while walking or shopping at the mall.

In addition, in gadget stores, devices of different brands are found on the same shelf, consultants were not always aware of the discovery of signs of a particular device. Potential buyers could not fully appreciate the benefits of using devices from several brands, often gadgets could not even be held in their hands.

Apple not only planned every little thing, but also patented their developments

Work has always wanted to establish direct contact between Apple buyers. This was impossible to implement in online sales, in the case of retail chains representing the layer of sales assistants in a manufacturing organization.

In such conditions, the appearance of a mono-brand chain of Apple stores suggested itself. The implementation is practically on the surface, because branded stores of popular clothing manufacturers and car dealerships with reference to the car market are already widespread.

Steve collected the highest quality branded chains and added a bit of “apple magic”.

So Jobs personally presented the first store at one of the company’s conferences a week before its opening.

This was preceded by a debt regulation procedure and increase in turnover. Especially for this purpose, a warehouse was allocated in Cupertino, which was suitable in size for the stores being opened. Vacancies and a small circle of dedicated employees had very heated debates for 6 months, moved furniture and changed the filling of the zone, until they came to an ideal solution from their point of view.

One of the first two Apple Stores. Glendale, California.

In every Apple store, it was necessary to competently suppress the principles and philosophy of Apple. It was also decided to design all future stores individually in the general style of restrained minimalism. The interior was dominated by stone, wood, steel and glass.

In May 2001, two stores opened simultaneously: in Glendalestate of California, and McClinestate of Virginia.

What was the main feature of Apple stores

Steve Jobs at the opening of one of the first Apple Stores

At the presentation of the first Apple Store, Steve Jobs said:

People don’t just want to buy personal computers, they want to know what to do with them.

Thus, the backbone of all Apple Stores became a large demonstration area. In the first two stores, it occupied at least 50% of the total available space. Gadgets were not on a covered glass showcase, but on ordinary workers connected to the table and connected to the Internet.

Large demo areas have become the hallmark of the Apple Store. Photo from a store in Abu Dhabi, UAE

Devices are divided not by price segments, but by belonging to a wide range of activities. At that time, the company developed such areas: music, photo, video and entertainment for children.

From this logic, visitors could understand how Apple technology can help solve problems and how gadgets can be applied to their use cases.

Much attention is paid to accessories in the assortment

In addition to some Apple gadgets, one could look at accessories for them. At that time it was only a small selection of peripherals for computers, but in the future, Apple stores will be able to purchase and try on iPhone and iPod cases, Apple Watch straps and other branded accessories.

Now we are used to the fact that even in a small electronics store you can twist the current generation of iPhone in your hands, draw a graphic style on the large iPad screen or go to your favorite website using Mac computers for sale, but at that time such opportunities were used only in the Apple Store .

The highlight of all stores was the Genius Bar

This is a special space where visitors can ask interesting questions, ask for help in solving problems or just chat with the so-called “geniuses”. Well-versed in the staff of Apple employees, they made contact with the acquisition, while they did not have the goal of selling the gadget more expensively or tying optional additional accessories.

At this counter, you could meet before buying any device, it came with a newly purchased device and you wanted to help with the setup, or you had to go in with your Apple gadget, and the consultants had all the questions of interest.

Employees immediately contacted the support line by phone. They independently consulted with the company’s technical specialists and received a response up to the user’s income.

How the retail network has developed in the future

One of the most popular Apple Store on 5th Avenue. New York, USA

During the first weekend, the two Apple Stores were visited by about 7700 peoplethe amount of retail sales in them for the weekend is too high over $599,000. The company immediately announced that it would open 25 stores in the US by the end of the year.

Jobs personally controlled and approved all the details for each of these retail outlets. He looked at the natural resources, the location of the zones and the filling of the stalls. Even the paintings and photographs that adorned the walls of buildings were approved by the head of the company.

Six months after the opening of the first stores, the company presented the first generation of the iPod player. The device was developed in a very short time and at the time of the presentation of the stores, Jobs had access to the first prototype of the player.

After the start of sales of affordable and functional players in Apple stores, a stream of new users poured in who wanted to join the apple company.

Competitors do not claim success in the Apple Store and predicted a decline in the flow of customers in the future. In practice, everything is completely different.

After 3 years, Apple’s retail sales network reached a stable performance – 5400 visitors per weekwhich was seen with the flow of buyers of mono-brand clothing stores and greatly exceeded the number of visitors in specialty electronics stores.

First Apple Store in London

In autumn 2004 the first App Store in Europe was opened. They became a store in London on Regent Street. Later, his revenue £60mone square meter landed £21500which made the premises the most commercially profitable in the UK.

By the end of 2012, the number of stores worldwide exceeded 350.

Since 2016, the company has offered a small rebranding. It was decided to remove the word from the name of the stores “shop”and the points themselves began to be called with reference to the hit, for example, Apple on Fifth Avenue.

Number of Apple Stores in different countries at the end of 2022

At the end of 2022, the world registered 521 Apple retail store located in 25 countries.

Most points of sale in the territory USA – 272 stores. The second largest network is China – 44 shopscalculates the network in Great Britain – 39 stores.

Interestingly, only two countries are represented in one Apple Store. These are Austria and Belgium, in other regions there is a company that opens two or more retail outlets.

Apple Store did not open in Russia.

Here could be the first Apple Store in Russia

Rumors about the opening of a retail store in our country have been visited since 2010. A year later, several top managers of the Apple Store department.

Analysts speculate that Apple representatives viewed several available premises and displaced persons. Hotel Moscow on Manezhnaya Square. It is about renting space in 1500 square meters.

After six months of closed negotiations, these ideas were abandoned. Some sources of the scenario that the Cupertinos did not set the rental price too high, while others believe that the company simply revised its development characteristics in our country. Instead, official reseller stores opened.

To the point: How Apple revolutionized the world of music. iTunes Music Store Launched 20 Years Ago

In 2012, the company registered in Russia, opened the iTunes Store online store and began selling apple technology online.

So from the idea Steve Jobs has grown into a globally recognizable retail chain that consumes a lot of profit for Apple and has a positive effect on brand awareness.