Apple Store

[Tuscani01]

Bad news. The Eaton Centre Apple Store update happened. That means no new Apple Store at Eaton Centre. They're keeping that one.

Not necessarily. It's never a matter of "we're not going to move because we just updated this store". Retailers are willing to spend money on reno's, even if the future of the location is up in the air. Corporate owned locations like Apple are even more likely to do this since the cost of the update isn't covered by an individual. It's all about giving consumers a consistent shopping experience, whether that means for the next few months, or next few years. The greatest cost is real-estate and stock. Everything else is essentially a drop in the bucket.

I'm actually working on a store right now which is up for replacement. I'm retrofitting the current location to create consistency across the chain while the process of finding a new location continues. The stock and staff are easy to move - as are about 90% of the fixtures.

 

[MetroMan]

Not necessarily. It's never a matter of "we're not going to move because we just updated this store". Retailers are willing to spend money on reno's, even if the future of the location is up in the air. Corporate owned locations like Apple are even more likely to do this since the cost of the update isn't covered by an individual. It's all about giving consumers a consistent shopping experience, whether that means for the next few months, or next few years. The greatest cost is real-estate and stock. Everything else is essentially a drop in the bucket.

I'm actually working on a store right now which is up for replacement. I'm retrofitting the current location to create consistency across the chain while the process of finding a new location continues. The stock and staff are easy to move - as are about 90% of the fixtures.

See the previous posts. Angela Ahrendts explaining their store roadmap, said that stores which do not receive the new updates will be relocating to a new or expanded store within 12 months. All others will get these updates. I’m not saying that the Apple Eaton Centre isn’t going to ever get expanded or moved but it is not part of the 12 month plan according to Ahrendts.

 

[Tuscani01]

You also suggested at the time that since the Eaton centre store didn't go through that round of overnight makeovers, that it confirmed that it was being replaced. And in previous comments from her, it was mentioned that Toronto was in line for a large flagship with the possibility of satellite locations around it. There's always a chance that the Eaton Centre location becomes just that.

I think you are reading into PR speak too much and jumping to your own conclusions. Don't take everything you hear as fact. Opportunity can arise at any point in time, and Apple will make a move when the time is right, not based on some casual comments made in the past.

 

[pw20]

Both of you aren't saying things which are inconsistent with each other.
Let's say Apple wants to move into 2 Queen West. It may take ~12 months for build out; Apple still has a vested interested in upgrading an older store and ensuring brand consistency. Or let's say they think 2 Queen West will be ready in 10 months... they may still want to upgrade an older store. (I'm using 2 Queen as an example).
In another example, let's say you're the Apple store in Yorkdale Mall and you want to move to a retail space in the luxury wing. Oxford will actively work with existing tenants to move them. It can take a long time to renegotiate a new lease (for multiple parties), build a new store etc.. and that's in a mall where the shell of a building is complete.
Long story short - 12 months is a short time given the long planning and lead times needed to negotiate net new leases and complete build out.

 

[someMidTowner]

Right now, it's a fire hazard.

You might be thinking of the Samsung store, which hasn't been built yet.

 

[bcx]

Both of you aren't saying things which are inconsistent with each other.
Let's say Apple wants to move into 2 Queen West. It may take ~12 months for build out; Apple still has a vested interested in upgrading an older store and ensuring brand consistency. Or let's say they think 2 Queen West will be ready in 10 months... they may still want to upgrade an older store. (I'm using 2 Queen as an example).
In another example, let's say you're the Apple store in Yorkdale Mall and you want to move to a retail space in the luxury wing. Oxford will actively work with existing tenants to move them. It can take a long time to renegotiate a new lease (for multiple parties), build a new store etc.. and that's in a mall where the shell of a building is complete.
Long story short - 12 months is a short time given the long planning and lead times needed to negotiate net new leases and complete build out.

I think the concern is that there have been no indications still that CF is doing anything to accommodate a newer or bigger Apple store or that Apple has even started seeking out a better spot. It's generally accepted that the Eaton Centre Apple Store is too crowded, so things should have shifted around by now in the Eaton Centre to make room for them... but nothing's happened still.

 

[reetard]

Oh, I know Apple is looking and has been offered larger spaces. But Apple is super picky about its space, in terms of visibility, location, lighting, and all that jazz. So far nothing has worked for them. I also know they are definitely not leaving the mall, as it's in the top 10 revenue generators for the chain.

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

Not that it is going to happen - but imagine if they had went for the 2 Queen site and added an Apple-esque addition atop.

AoD

 

[JasonParis]

Not that it is going to happen - but imagine if they had went for the 2 Queen site and added an Apple-esque addition atop.
AoD

Do we know the retailer for the new 2 Queen East?

 

[interchange42]

No, no one has been announced yet. The length of time the rebuild is scheduled to take there has not been announced yet either.

42

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

I also know they are definitely not leaving the mall, as it's in the top 10 revenue generators for the chain.

This is pretty impressive for what isn't a flagship store.

AoD

 

[soundmuseum]

Oh, I know Apple is looking and has been offered larger spaces. But Apple is super picky about its space, in terms of visibility, location, lighting, and all that jazz. So far nothing has worked for them. I also know they are definitely not leaving the mall, as it's in the top 10 revenue generators for the chain.

If they want to stay where they are in Eaton Centre on Level 3, they could always expand into the former BCBG space next door, effectively doubling their size. Alternatively downstairs on Level 1, Express recently closed - they could move in there, right across from Microsoft!

 

[bcx]

Oh, I know Apple is looking and has been offered larger spaces. But Apple is super picky about its space, in terms of visibility, location, lighting, and all that jazz. So far nothing has worked for them. I also know they are definitely not leaving the mall, as it's in the top 10 revenue generators for the chain.

If this is the case and they couldn't think of a way to put something up in the new north end (where Uniqlo and Samsung ended up) or at 2 Queen then I don't know if CF has anything possibly better in the EC. Sure, they could take over the BCBG but that's really settling for something simple that's "good enough" (if that)... which doesn't sound like something Apple would do. I think at this point they have to take the 2 Queen space.

 

[BB ON]

I remember that before Shoppers moved into its current space in the Eaton Centre, it used to be SportChek with a staircase up to Atmosphere.

That Shoppers is likely to move with the opening of the flagship in the Hard Rock space. If Apple takes over, they can have a storefront in the mall as well as the corner of Queen W.

 

[Skeezix]

I doubt that Shoppers is moving to the Hard Rock. The one in the Eaton Centre is largely serving concourse and PATH traffic/people getting on and off the subway - most of that traffic would not migrate north to Yonge Dundas Square. If any Shoppers is closing to move to the Hard Rock, it's the one in 10 Dundas. Whether Cadillac would try to relocate Shoppers within the mall, I don't know. I'm guessing not, but couldn't say for sure.

The connection between Atmosphere and Sports Experts was always a bit awkward/underwhelming. As I mentioned once ages ago in the 2 Queen St W thread, not sure if that was due to physical constraints (there is service corridor and fire exit behind there) or for other reasons (they didn't want to spend money on a larger connection). But it would an interesting connection if some retailer (Apple or someone else) could make it work.

I don't know much about Apple's strategy for its stores, but someone earlier in this thread mentioned that (or quoted something saying that) Apple seeks maximum visibility and accessibility for its stores. I can see Apple interested in 2 Queen. But I can't see why they would be interested in the concourse level of the mall, particularly at that location, even if it was connected to 2 Queen. IMHO, my guess is that they would just take more space in 2 Queen over some connection with mall space that is inferior to the mall space it already occupies.