Forget about the Apple glass cube. This store has been presented today at the Santa Monica Planning Commission by some "ASB/Blatteis Promenade Holdings, LLC". Who could be the actual retailer? There's only two possibilities here: Apple or Apple. More »
The new Fifth Avenue cube, now with fewer ugly seams. Picture: Apple
Apple, famous for pushing materials to their limits in order to make ridiculously thin and strong gadgets, is doing the same for its flagship Fifth Avenue store in New York City. A remodel of the already perfectly good design will see the amount of glass panels of the iconic cube reduced from 90 panes to just 15. It seems that Apple's minimalism knows no bounds.
The new street-level entrance is part of a $6.6 million refit. According to the Gothamist, to whom Apple sent its plans along with a rendering of the new simplified cube, the panes will also be "seamless," using some kind of joints built into the glass itself.
The plan for the new cube
The new cube will be done by November of this year, and will doubtless be spectacular. I just wonder how much it's going to cost to fix if some kid kicks his football too hard and breaks a window?
Macrumorsnotes that the boarded up Fifth Avenue Apple Store now reveals plans to improve the appearance of the cube by using "bigger, seamless" panes of glass. The number of panes will drop from 90 to just 15 (3 per side).
We're simplifying the Fifth Avenue cube. By using larger, seamless pieces of glass, we're using just 15 panes instead of 90.
The upgrade reportedly costs $6 million. We'd be very surprised if the renovation isn't complete for the October iPhone 5 launch.
Saturday, Apple will open its first Apple Store in the great state of Alaska which will be by far the most northernApple Store on the planet. It will be located on 320 West 5th Avenue (in the 5th Avenue Mall) in Anchorage, and doors open at 10 A.M.
You'd think this would make for an Apple Store in every state, but there are still seven (Arkansas, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wyoming) without according to this map (thanks commenters).
Along with a store in Alaska, Apple will unveil four other stores worldwide Saturday:
With five stores opening this weekend, Apple still has 23 more stores to open to reach its goal of 30 new stores by September 30th. (via Macstories, Macrumors)
We're getting images in from around the UK of Apple Stores having removed their inventory after closing of business. The concern is the ongoing riots that have plagued London and now the greater UK for the past 3 days.
Above: Due To The Riots In England, The Apple Store In Liverpool One have moved all stock up stairs from the show floor.
Even resellers are getting into the action. Canterbury, Kent, below:
Two more Apple stores will be opening Saturday. The first, as reported by ifoAppleStore.com, is in Florence, Italy's I Gigli. It's the sixth Apple store for the country.
Apple has a gorgeous retail store in the swanky community of Greenwich Connecticut. The beautiful facade and lovely arched windows may soon be adorned with a security gate and this addition is causing a stir in the small, upper-class community.
Apple is installing the gate after a theft last year resulted in the loss of thousands of dollars in computers, phones and tablets. While Apple may be happy with the gate, its neighbors are not. Some elected city officials and nearby merchants are criticizing the nighttime security measure.
Naysayers claim the gate is "ugly", "unsightly" and gives the impression the retail district is not safe. One even says it will make the area look like Lebanon. Regardless of what others think, Town Planner Diane Fox says her office has no control over interior modifications like the one Apple is planning.
