Apple’s retail stores have been a key driver of the company’s fortunes in recent years, whether you’re a fan of the company or not. It’s been known for a while that the next store to open would be in Sydney’s north at Hornsby, and the company’s just revealed that it’ll be opening this Saturday at 10am. Not that they’d want you to notice it, though
Hornsby Westfield’s my local shopping centre, although I’m not sure at this stage if I’ll be able to make it there; the last Apple store opening I bothered attending was Bondi, and that was as much to do with the iPad launch as anything else.
It’s certainly a large storefront (just down the escalator from the JB Hi-Fi that’ll presumably sell fewer iPads from now on), more in common with the Castle Hill store than the pokey Chatswood one. Then again, Adelaide, Canberra, Hobart and Darwin? Apple still doesn’t love you… yet.
I’ve updated the story with the correct picture, snapped just a few minutes ago. Although it seems that Apple has had some kind of strange change of mind. The last time I walked past a week ago, the boards bore a prominent Apple logo. Now… nothing. What’s going on in there?
Now, go either wild and crazy or annoyed and apoplectic in the comments as best suits your mood.
Ruen
Tuesday, September 20, 2011 at 9:02 AMI think its only a matter of time before Apple graces Adelaide and Canberra with its presence.
I can’t say much about Darwin but considering Hobart already has a dedicated Apple authorised dealer down here (Next Byte) I doubt Apple will be in any hurry to come down to Tassie.
Alex Kidman
Tuesday, September 20, 2011 at 9:50 AMHaving dedicated dealers nearby doesn’t seem to make much of a difference to Apple; they’ve already got a few stores near Next Byte locations (even a few that have shut down now, as memory serves)
lulz
Tuesday, September 20, 2011 at 9:30 AMBlegghh about time Microsoft made an appearance
Ivan
Tuesday, September 20, 2011 at 9:37 AMI wonder if they also used slave labor from china to build it..
Joel
Tuesday, September 20, 2011 at 10:57 AMSlave labor of people who get paid and choose to work there.. Just because they can’t find a better job doesn’t make it ‘slave labor’. Not that I’m agreeing that they should use the Chinese manufacturers but hey imagine where all those Chinese people will be if it weren’t for Apple at the same time. Most likely jobless because Apple is such a big part of the companies.
Gabriel
Tuesday, September 20, 2011 at 11:43 AMWow this comment is ignorant. I hope you appreciate being born in Australia as much as you should
Joel
Tuesday, September 20, 2011 at 12:13 PMNot really, I’d much prefer they weren’t produced there. I’m just saying you have to admit if Apple pull out then thousands and thousands of workers that are already finding it hard to get money will, instead, be out of the job. The best solution is for the factories to give higher pay and better working conditions.
Joel
Tuesday, September 20, 2011 at 12:17 PMNot really, I’d much prefer they weren’t produced there. I’m just saying you have to admit if Apple pull out then thousands and thousands of workers that are already finding it hard to get money will, instead, be out of the job. The best solution is for the factories to give higher pay and better working conditions. But certainly not slave labor.
Anthony
Tuesday, September 20, 2011 at 9:38 AMawkward because the photo isnt from hornsby
Alex Kidman
Tuesday, September 20, 2011 at 9:46 AMTrue enough. I should be down there later today to grab a quick snap — although one Apple black board is much like another, really.
TSH
Tuesday, September 20, 2011 at 10:23 AMNah, JB Hi-Fi will be selling iDevices by the boatload now. I suspect that Apple won’t undercut itself, but JB – all you gotta do is ask and they’ll chuck in a silicon skin or drop a few % off the price.
ben
Tuesday, September 20, 2011 at 12:25 PMNot far from me either, but I dislike Hornsby. Will still check it out at some stage, and its good to have a choice between Chatswood or Hornsby now.