Understanding the past brings the future into focus, so today I’d like to summarize the most notable Apple Retail projects of 2023. The past twelve months have been a wild ride.
I’d also like to thank each of you for your kind support of Facades 2. The feedback I’ve received so far has been excellent, so keep it coming! Your emails directly impact the features in the app.
New Store Openings
Apple opened eight new store locations in 2023. That’s more than in 2022, and on pace with 2021. Seven of the eight stores opened this year were part of a larger shopping mall, and five were indoor locations.
Two stores opened in South Korea, two in India, two in China, one in the United States, and one in the United Kingdom. Aside from Apple Battersea, every new location this year opened within two spans of 29 and 41 days.
2023 saw the last store open with a video wall and Forum — Apple BKC. Apple also experimented with some uncommon design elements. Apple BKC includes a triangular handcrafted timber ceiling with tiles made from 408 pieces of timber each. The glass facade of Apple Gangnam has a gradient frit and mirrored coating treatment. Apple Battersea was built with smoky textured glass panels and restored brick columns.
Here’s an overview of every new location this year and links to Tabletops coverage:
Apple Birkdale Village: December: 14
We didn’t have a chance to take a look at Apple Birkdale Village last week, but it’s worth closer study. This store has some of the most pleasing proportions of any Vintage D.2 store opened to date and a really pleasant outdoor entrance that brings in generous sunlight. This store format, lacking ceiling light panels and backed with a warm wood Apple Pickup wall, really shines with natural light.
I enjoyed this great gallery of the store from The Charlotte Business Journal. The opening day souvenir was a tote bag with the heritage Apple logo.
Store Reopenings
Five stores were totally rebuilt or moved in 2023. All five reopened stores are located in the United States. The most notable of these upgrades was Apple Tysons Corner, which introduced an all-new design language to Apple Retail. That same style later made its way to Apple Battersea, Apple MixC Wenzhou, and Apple Hanam.
In May, I studied the changes at Apple Tysons Corner and published a details post with a link to more than 150 of my personal photos from the opening. As a holiday gift, I’ve lifted the paywall on this article for all subscribers.
Store Reopenings in 2023:
Renovations
Most store renovations this year happened behind the scenes with new Backstage areas and facilities upgrades that significantly improve the working experience for Retail employees. Some locations also had notable customer-facing improvements:
Apple Derby Street was the first store to replace its Forum with an Apple Pickup Counter.
Apple Georgetown was the first of several Classic locations to add an Apple Pickup Counter.
Apple Nanjing East added Avenues, Apple Pickup, and various finish upgrades throughout the store. The renovation is still in progress.
Apple Pudong added a second entrance and Apple Pickup. The store’s iconic glass cylinder is still under wraps.
Apple Shinsaibashi lost its historic theater during a renovation of the upper level. The renovation is still in progress.
Apple Pioneer Place replaced its “prison fence” with a more friendly polycarbonate security barrier.
Apple I Gigli was modified to repurpose the Genius Bar alcove as a Backstage area.
Apple Confluence gained an all-new facade.
Apple Stonestown added curved glass windows and doors. The entrance was previously completely open to the mall.
Many outdoor stores at high risk of vehicle collisions added protective bollards. This work is not yet complete.
In addition to these changes, I know of at least 18 stores that added a redesigned Genius Bar made more flexible for Apple Pickup and more accessible for customers in wheelchairs. I haven’t written about these upgrades in detail because the strategy feels very much in flux, but it’s a change that I believe will significantly impact existing stores in the future.
Closures and Cancellations
Apple Northlake Mall closed on March 1 following three mall shootings in less than three months. The closure made way for Apple Birkdale Village.
You’ve probably heard by now that Apple Infinite Loop (the store, not the campus) will close on January 20, 2024. On the same day, Apple Royal Hawaiian in Honolulu will close.
I’d like to dedicate much more space than this holiday newsletter allows to write about Infinite Loop, so look for more coming in the future.
In November, it was revealed that Apple had canceled its open secret store project at The One, a skyscraper under construction in Toronto.
Etc.
Other interesting tidbits you might’ve missed or forgotten about over the past year:
Shop with a Specialist over Video launched in March.
Clear acrylic iPad risers were replaced with opaque white stands.
The Apple Store Online launched in Vietnam in May and in Chile in October.
A Candlelight Concert was hosted at Apple Tower Theatre in May.
Mirage, a one-of-a-kind public sculpture, opened at Apple Park Visitor Center in June.
After WWDC, I studied how Apple might present Vision Pro in stores.
The Visitor Center Cafe also began selling packaged sandwiches and salads.
Apple partnered with Illustri Festival to add a mural to the steps of Apple Piazza Liberty.
Apple has stopped using leather in stores and developed a new, synthetic material identical in color and appearance for fixtures like Apple Watch try-on mats.
New stores are now built using bio-resin terrazzo, a more flexible, sustainable alternative to traditional terrazzo flooring.
Capsule-shaped tags that display iPad model information are being piloted at some stores internationally. Several designs have been tested.
🎆 See you in 2024.
Featured image
Apple Michigan Avenue
Photo via @jbtphotosmono.