Advertisement

Apple Upgrades “Stores” To Mini-Town Squares

1-apple storeOn the heels of removing the word “store” from it branding efforts and perhaps leading the charge in the changing role of the retail store, Apple’s retail chief, Angela Ahrendts revealed the technology giant is turning its locations into mini town squares.

Apple is currently redesigning 95 of its stores by year-end along the lines of its new San Francisco Union Square and London Regent Street locations, Fortune reported. Ahrendts and Apple view their stores as potential town squares within each of the cities they reside that create an experience people want to return to.

“The store is now the biggest product we produce and we have five new features [including  iPhones, iPads, Macs, and Watches],” Ahrendts said at the Fortune Most Powerful Women conference. “Accessories are avenues, and the huge digital screen in each store is the forum.”

Advertisement

The community aspect to each store is key, Ahrendts said, with these town squares serving as educational centers. For example, Apple locales will soon hold coding classes for children in Apple’s programming language, Swift.

“Companies have a huge obligation right now, and the bigger the company, the bigger the obligation,” Ahrendts said. “We are thinking about what the community needs.”

Apple recently unveiled its 11,000 sq. ft Regent Street location in London featuring a calm environment for an enhanced shopping experience by placing trees throughout and decorating the store in neutral white, grey, and oak colors. There are “avenues” of goods such as Macbooks and iMacs and workshops will be held for “creative pros” and entrepreneurs.

There are nearly 500 Apple stores worldwide, and retail sales are responsible for some 18% of the company’s $233.7 billion in sales, amounting to $42 billion in yearly revenue.

Featured Event

View the Retail Trendcaster Webinar Series on-demand to uncover key 2025 retail trends, from AI and personalization to social commerce. Gain expert insights, data-driven predictions, and actionable takeaways to stay ahead in a rapidly evolving market.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Retail Trendcaster Webinar Series
Days
Hours
Minutes
Seconds

Uncovering What’s Next in Retail

On-Demand Limited Video Series

Q1 is a pivotal time for retail, with experts analyzing holiday sales and forecasting trends. View the full lineup of the Retail Trendcaster video series for insights on consumer spending, AI, personalization, social commerce, and more—helping you focus on what truly matters in 2025.

Brought to you by
Retail TouchPoints
Access Now
Retail TouchPoints is a brand of Emerald X LLC. By clicking the button and submitting information, you acknowledge and agree that your information may be shared with corporate affiliates of Emerald X LLC, and other organizations such as event hosts, speakers, sponsors, and partners. Please read our Privacy Policy and our Terms Of Use for more information on our policies.

Access The Media Kit

Interests:

Access Our Editorial Calendar




If you are downloading this on behalf of a client, please provide the company name and website information below: