Filed under: Retail
Apple stores coming to Rhode Island, South Africa
ifo Apple Store reports that Apple has finally signed a lease for a space in the Providence Place Mall, in Providence, RI, for a future retail store - after a 2 year search for the "perfect" spot.
In other retail news, Apple is also returning to South Africa after a 20-year absence, with plans to open stores in Cape Town, Johannesburg, and Pretoria. Although trade sanctions against South Africa were lifted in 1991, Apple has had no business activity there since the sanctions were imposed in 1985, leaving an "established and growing Macintosh user base" with no where to turn except Core Group, who has been the sole Apple distributer. The three stores are expected to open before the end of
2005.
![TUAW [Cafepress]](http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.tuaw.com/media/tuaw-cafepress-promo.png)
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
AG said 4:19PM on 6-16-2005
I don't know if it has been reported or not, but Nashville is getting its first official Apple store. The store (for those Nashvillians who care) will be located in the heart of yuppie central, the Green Hills mall. No idea when the opening is, but the logo is up on the storefront.
Reply
Laurie said 4:19PM on 6-16-2005
Nashville! Cool! I wonder if there will be a limited edition Elvis iPod available :)
Reply
Chris said 4:19PM on 6-16-2005
Regarding Apple's business activity: Apple HAS indeed had a business prescence since 1991. Apple South Africa however reduced staff to one or two representatives and eventually handed a sole distributor's monopoly to the Core Group - who have gradually started making Apple gear more visible to consumers in the major centers. There are numerous independent Apple dealers and online stores in the country and like anywhere else in the world, Apple hardware is used extensively in prepress, design, advertising, video and related disciplines.
As far as the link to the hopelessly pompous 'Andras Lengyel' site : Anyone who talks about themself in the third person as if they're some sort of famous Italian fashion label, and not a crap web-design refugee who trades on the fact that he is BRITISH, deserves to be shot... and surely has no relevance to an article discusssing Apple in South Africa?
Reply
Dave said 4:19PM on 6-16-2005
Hey, Chris, the name is a company, not an individual - it's obvious. Andr?Lengyel is the name of the guy who originally started it. The original article is on ifoAppleStore where the news broke, and he isn't even quoted as saying that; so I don't know why TUAW quoted him.
Reply
Nico said 12:42PM on 6-25-2005
Chris I agree with your comments, also being a fellow South African.
The three Apple Centres to be opened are going to be operated by the Core Group and if you take a look at the updated article at ifoapplestore.com you see this aswell.
Unfortunately the price of Apple computers here in South Africa is somewhat higher than the US counterparts, especially with Powerbooks and that has prevented me from buying an Apple.
Reply