Revamped Apple Sanlitun Store Opens in Beijing

[MacRumors]

Apple today announced that the redesigned Apple Sanlitun store is opening for customers. Apple Sanlitun, located in the Taikoo Li Sanlitun mall in Beijing, was Apple's first store in China.

The original store opened up in 2008, but Apple is replacing it with a new flagship store that's been under construction for several months. The updated store is adjacent to the original store, but it's twice the size.

According to Apple, the redesigned store features many of the modern updates that Apple has been bringing to its retail locations, such as a Forum for Today at Apple sessions, a Viewing Gallery that overlooks the outdoor square, and a Boardroom where local businesses and entrepreneurs can get advice.

"This store sets a new standard for Apple Retail in China and we're thrilled to build on our history in Beijing," said Deirdre O'Brien, Apple's senior vice president of Retail + People. "We look forward to operating Apple Sanlitun, and all of our stores around the world, with the health and safety of our customers and teams as our top priority."

There are 33-foot glass panels at the front of the store, signature staircases on both sides, Padang Light stone flooring sourced from the Shandong province, and Sophora japonica trees, which are the official tree of Beijing.

Apple Sanlitun features Apple's first integrated solar array built into a retail store in China, and it allows the location to run on renewable energy like the rest of Apple's facilities worldwide.

Apple Sanlitun is opening at 10:00 a.m. CST, and Apple is implementing safety measures like temperature checks, social distancing, and masks.


Article Link: Revamped Apple Sanlitun Store Opens in Beijing

 

[Apple_Robert]

Very nice. I like the renewable energy aspect. The store should see some heavy traffic.

 

[NavySilver]

One of my favorites recently, along with the Tokyo Marunouchi and Chicago stores. It’s reassuring that Apple is still committed to physical retail.

 

[Caliber26]

Not trying to come across as hating on these foreign countries, but how come Apple keeps building these amazing looking stores overseas and not here in the US? I realize we have a handful over here but the vast majority of them are the small boring variant, compared to the cool looking ones Europe and Asia continue to get.

 

[JPack]

First with integrated solar array, that's pretty impressive.

 

[ian87w]

Not trying to come across as hating on these foreign countries, but how come Apple keeps building these amazing looking stores overseas and not here in the US? I realize we have a handful over here but the vast majority of them are the small boring variant, compared to the cool looking ones Europe and Asia continue to get.

I'm sure whatever Apple does in the US, there will be protestors waiting to protest them how the Apple store prevents their dogs to pee on their favorite spot (intentional hyperbole for sarcasm purposes). Meanwhile, such criticism in countries like China tend to go on the wayside.

 

[Baymowe335]

Not trying to come across as hating on these foreign countries, but how come Apple keeps building these amazing looking stores overseas and not here in the US? I realize we have a handful over here but the vast majority of them are the small boring variant, compared to the cool looking ones Europe and Asia continue to get.

The US is basically a third world country when it comes to infrastructure and architecture.

 

[szw-mapple fan]

Not trying to come across as hating on these foreign countries, but how come Apple keeps building these amazing looking stores overseas and not here in the US? I realize we have a handful over here but the vast majority of them are the small boring variant, compared to the cool looking ones Europe and Asia continue to get.

Because each country gets a “handful” of the flagship stores in big cities with lots of traffic. Only those gets any media coverage, so it may seem that there are more impressive architecture overseas when most of them are the exception there as well. Also, a lot American apple stores were from an earlier era when Apple was mostly opening smaller stores in malls and didn’t focus too much on the outer design of each.

 

[nicho]

Apple Sanlitun features Apple's first integrated solar array built into a retail store in China, and it allows the location to run on renewable energy like the rest of Apple's facilities worldwide.

Eh? This makes it sound like other stores in China don't, or at the very least that the previous store was a holdout.

Apple now globally powered by 100 percent renewable energy

As part of Apple’s commitment to fostering a healthier planet through innovation, its global facilities are powered with 100 percent clean energy.

www.apple.com

It allows the location to generate the renewable energy on which it runs. But, clearly, it doesn't allow the location to run on renewable energy because it was perfectly possible to do that 2 years ago.

 

[NickName99]

Beautiful store! Looking forward to US Apple stores opening back up eventually.

 

[SonOfaMac]

Really nice flagship store located in a key market location, its a great win for Apple, well done.

 

[SoGood]

Fantastic store! I concur, for the few times I've been to the Sanlitun store, it did feel a little cramped.

Not trying to come across as hating on these foreign countries, but how come Apple keeps building these amazing looking stores overseas and not here in the US?

That's not quite true as Apple has been revamping US stores too. Otherwise, China is Apple's largest growth market and similar to other O/S stores, they don't regularly get looted as for the US stores. So these are secure investments for Apple in their operation.

 

[macman312]

Market Square in SF is very nice
5th Ave was renovated last year

I’m really hoping Melbourne (Australia) finally gets a flagship store next year!!

 

[0924487]

It’s beautiful. Now it makes the one in Shanghai look dated...

 

[ghanwani]

Beautiful.

 

[bLackjackj]

Whats with the cheap vegetable crates as seats?...is it so hard to have comfortable seating?? The pic looks like a scene from their '1984' commercial..ouch!

 

[ghanwani]

Whats with the cheap vegetable crates as seats?...is it so hard to have comfortable seating?? The pic looks like a scene from their '1984' commercial..ouch!

You have to sacrifice comfort for beauty, especially when talking contemporary.

(Hey, that even rhymes. I might have a future as a poet. )

 

[Stars&Stripes]

Whats with the cheap vegetable crates as seats?...is it so hard to have comfortable seating?? The pic looks like a scene from their '1984' commercial..ouch!

I'd guess they don't want people lounging there for too long?

 

[iPadified]

iTemple

 

[nikaru]

Not trying to come across as hating on these foreign countries, but how come Apple keeps building these amazing looking stores overseas and not here in the US? I realize we have a handful over here but the vast majority of them are the small boring variant, compared to the cool looking ones Europe and Asia continue to get.

In many countries, Apple products are luxury items because an iPhone costs what most people earn in a couple of months. It is like having a Rolex. In order to sell, you must provide a boutqiue experience in your retail stores.

In the US on the other hand, even the homeless have iPhones and most people can buy a new iPhone with their weekly paycheck. The go-to-the-market strategy is completly different so spending a tremendous amount of money and effort to createa boutique experience for US customers has no sense and does not improve sales.

 

[Westside guy]

Not trying to come across as hating on these foreign countries, but how come Apple keeps building these amazing looking stores overseas and not here in the US? I realize we have a handful over here but the vast majority of them are the small boring variant, compared to the cool looking ones Europe and Asia continue to get.

Are you expecting Apple to just rebuild all their existing stores in the US? They already have this country more or less saturated, so it doesn't seem realistic to expect them to be launching tons of new amazing stores here.

They're doing this in China because they're trying to become more than an afterthought there. Apple sees China as a potentially huge, lucrative market - so of course they "go large" there when they build these new stores in new cities. Here, they've got roughly half the market already - not nearly the growth potential.

 

[theorist9]

Not trying to come across as hating on these foreign countries, but how come Apple keeps building these amazing looking stores overseas and not here in the US? I realize we have a handful over here but the vast majority of them are the small boring variant, compared to the cool looking ones Europe and Asia continue to get.

I'll offer three reasons:
(1) Most of the Apple stores in the US are older. The foreign stores in these articles are the newest stores, and benefit from Apple's ever-improving and and increasingly bold design aesthetic. Also, perhaps because of how commerical retain space is configured in this country, fewer of the US Apple stores are stand-alone creations; and you need a store to be stand-alone to get creative with the achitecture. When Apple has constructed new flagship US stand-alone stores, it has tried to be bold with the design, such as the glass cube store in Manhattan. And remember that this store is from 2016:

(2) The stores you see in articles about new Apple stores are not the average foreign Apple store, but the best of the best.

(3) Apple probably pays particular attention to these flagship foreign stores, since these act as "brand ambassadors". In the US, people are more used to Apple, so the design of the stores, while important, has less influence.
[automerge]1594975555[/automerge]

In many countries, Apple products are luxury items because an iPhone costs what most people earn in a couple of months. It is like having a Rolex. In order to sell, you must provide a boutqiue experience in your retail stores.

In the US on the other hand, even the homeless have iPhones and most people can buy a new iPhone with their weekly paycheck. The go-to-the-market strategy is completly different so spending a tremendous amount of money and effort to createa boutique experience for US customers has no sense and does not improve sales.

There may be some truth to that, but I don't think that's necessarily the primary driver. Consider, for instance, the Apple store in Opera, Paris, which is in a high-income area, yet is stunning. Indeed, I would say that, while the Sanlitun store is lovely (particularly its exterior), the Opera store's interior is closer to what I would describe as "boutique":

The Most Beautiful Apple Stores in The World

When it was first announced, the idea of Apple having its own retail store was not received well by many quarters – here's a commentary by Bloomberg

www.hongkiat.com

 

[PickUrPoison]

Market Square in SF is very nice
5th Ave was renovated last year

I’m really hoping Melbourne (Australia) finally gets a flagship store next year!!

There was a permitting issue with the proposed Melbourne flagship, and iirc Apple decided to build the flagship elsewhere. Sydney maybe? Can’t remember.

 

[Piggie]

Whats with the cheap vegetable crates as seats?...is it so hard to have comfortable seating?? The pic looks like a scene from their '1984' commercial..ouch!

Form over function

 

[phenste]

god, this is BEAUTIFUL—certainly seems like Apple isn’t a fan of back support in their seating though…?