New looks
Catching up on store changes in Hong Kong, mainland China, Japan, and the U.S.
In Hong Kong, renovations have been underway at Apple ifc mall since December. The store's added third floor, which was designed by Woods Bagot and opened in 2015, closed while the rest of the store remained open. That floor has now reopened to reveal some fascinating changes.
The third floor originally mirrored level one, with three entrances split by two long graphic panels facing the mall corridor. Because the space was added later, the store’s glass spiral staircase ended on level two, and a smaller, more discreet glass staircase was built to connect level three. This area of the store is primarily used for Genius Bar appointments.
Following renovations, level three has been reduced in size, and the rightmost store entrance has been entirely eliminated. In that space, Apple has reserved roughly one third of the floor for Backstage expansion by building a new stainless steel wall and graphic panel (visible above). You can compare the new look with the original appearance in the hero image on Apple.com.
I’m typically satisfied with the results of Classic Store renovations, but visually, this change just doesn’t hit the mark. Take a look at the store’s new appearance when viewed from outside:
With its covered windows, the new Backstage space disrupts the symmetry of the facade and gives the third floor the appearance of being perpetually under construction. I’m guessing this design also felt like a huge aesthetic compromise internally, one only worth making because it was in the best interest of the store team.
Level two is now closed for renovations, so I’ll reserve final judgement until we see the full scope of the changes.
Store renamed
On February 29, Apple changed the name of Apple Nanjing IST to Apple Xinjiekou (新街口). The store, which is located in Nanjing, China, celebrated its eighth anniversary in January and was renovated last year with new terrazzo flooring and stairs. Xinjiekou is Nanjing’s central business district.
Apple Xinjiekou is the fourth Apple Store in mainland China to be renamed and follows MixC Tianjin, Tahoe Plaza, and Xuanwu Lake.
Ginza progress
In Japan, the new Apple Ginza is starting to take shape. You might recall that the original store closed in 2022, moved to a temporary space, and is projected to reopen in its original location during the second half of 2025. The building Apple previously occupied was completely demolished.
Construction is moving fast on the new 10-story structure, but it’s still more than a year away from opening. We haven’t seen Apple build a permanent store in a building this narrow since Apple Shibuya reopened in 2018, so I’m excited to see how the latest store design elements adapt to the space.
Shop really different
There are two ways to lose something you love: all at once, or slowly, bit by bit. At Tysons Corner it’s the latter — and it’s painful to watch.
I recently found the above photo on the Northern Virginia subreddit. Since closing last May, the original Apple Tysons Corner has been transformed into Sheepskin Gifts & Alpaca Too, a peculiar little shop with no listing on the Tysons Corner Center website.
Behind a layer of white paint and some sheepskin graphics (there’s a friendly alpaca hiding the Apple logo!), the Apple Store is almost entirely untouched. It’s the same entrance, the same flooring, and the same walls. A small temporary partition has been propped up near the back of the store.
A gut renovation would’ve been less painful. We knew the store was closing and expected it to disappear. To see it reemerge with what amounts to an architectural fake mustache is hard to watch. Hopefully another retailer scoops up this space to create a store that’s a fitting successor to Apple.
Featured image
Apple Carnegie Library
Photo via @kidnoble.