Apple Store grand opening in Quebec

Let's put it this way. Apple thought that Montreal was already well deserved with the independant Apple specialist Montreal already have (Microboutique, Microserv Dorval, Mac 911, etc.). So,they they decided to head north of Montreal island where the brand was less available. They will surely go on the south shore of Montreal island before they open an AppleSore on Montreal island.
But, personnally, this store will be the first one to close down after it's second Chrismas. Laval have seen only 2 retail stores that was dedicated to the Mac and they both closed down due to poor customer demand.
A friend of mine spent a couple of hours at the opening. Rapidely, he compted about a little more then 400 persons inline before the opening. iPods and iPods accessories were flying out the door, the Genius bar (and the poor Genius) were being under attacked by a bunch of geeks. Not many big spenders. After talking to a lot of peaple, he was under the impression that most of the shoppers were from Montreal and not many from Laval and the north shore. He left the shopping mall at around noon.
It's obviously nor very scientic observations, but it confort me in my opinion that the only thing Apple that can work in Laval is an iPod Storeand anything related to the iPods. The rest of the Mac family willstay marginalise in this region.

Here are some pics of the Grand Opening
http://www.flec65.com/AppleStoreLaval/index.html

Hey xSmurf,

Lower Level Of Education in Laval??????????? Maybe that's why B-Mac didn't do well!!!!
A store where people can actually park for free will have no problem selling Macs to intelligent Lavalois and Montrealers. Ask the people at Yorkdale Mall. Toronto's first Mac store which is just as far from downtown Toronto

Will be there as well! Finally! It will be my first opening and only my second visit to an Apple Store (the other one was Yorkdale in Toronto).

Why I posted the tip to tuaw way back. I'm finaly glad to see the opening is soon.

like the others I found it strange that they didn't open it in Montreal rather then Laval. I'll finaly see an apple store from my own eye when I'll decide to make a trip to Laval. Although it doesn't seem too complicated last time I checked on the Carrefour website, so I'll take de bus and metro and give it a try.

It's fun to have an apple store to go to for bying apple material. I had bought my iMac G5 at a receler in my own city, so I didn't have to go so far, but the apple store will be like a second place to buy.

What a weird location. I'll still try and be there on the 9th.
There used to be a B.Mac right next to this location. And to have worked for B.Mac back in the days (and actually setting up the Laval store) I can tell you it wasn't doing so great. The downtown location (which was by all mean as hidden as it's possible to be down town) did better than the Laval store. I don't wanna go into a big demographic debate, but Laval has, imho, a much lower level of general education and thus the Macintosh market is definitely not as interesting as in Montreal. Also considering many people in Montreal don't have a car (I'm pretty sure the people/car ratio is lower than in the suburbs) it's kind of weird to except Montreal people to go to Laval to buy a computer (hey! at least the new boxes are easier to bring back in bus ;o)...

Anyway, that's my 2 cents

Remember that the first Apple store they opened in Toronto was in Yorkdale, not downtown. I'm sure a downtown Montreal store will come eventually.

YÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉ! I'll have to go to Mtl more often. I don't have a hope in hell of being there on the 9th (damn!) but that's another place to go to (besides IKEA) when I go to Mtl!

I'm really surprised.. i mean Laval instead of Montreal! I am actually 20 minutes away from Carrefour Laval so it's all good.

Hoorray for Apple

I am happy that Apple is opening a store in the Montreal region, but still, what a bizarre location!

Out in mall land, unreacheable, or nearly so, if you don't have a car.

This is the equivalent of Apple opening their New York store in Hoboken.