Apple Store at Otay Ranch opening this Friday
Speaking of Apple's retail plans... Chula Vista in Southern California welcomes the latest Apple Store this Friday, Oct 27, 2006, continuing the growing and inconvenient trend of Apple Stores opening on a Friday morning. According to SignOnSanDiego, Apple will join nearly 90 mostly upscale stores, including REI, Sur la Table and White House/Black Market as well as large sit-down chain restaurants like PF Chang's, Macaroni Grill and The Cheesecake Factory when the Otay The usual Apple Store opening day festivities will commence with (presumably unemployed) fanatics camping out in the parking lot the night before and end with the standard fare of special edition T-shirts and a top-dollar sweepstakes.
If any of you will be there, we'd love to see your pics and read your reports, as usual!
Thanks, Ruben!

![TUAW [Cafepress]](http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.tuaw.com/media/tuaw-cafepress-promo.png)


Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Jabberjaw said 9:20AM on 10-25-2006
The Otay ranch?
Will Buckwheat be there??
ZAZOOOO
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Andy Lee said 10:46AM on 10-25-2006
You beat me to it!
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Jim in LA said 11:12AM on 10-25-2006
it's pronounced "oh-tie" so the buh-weet thing doesn't quite work.
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Spencer said 11:56AM on 10-25-2006
I'm so there. I'll be the one with in shorts, suspenders, and a plaid shirt with my little cap on.
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Jabberjaw said 12:30PM on 10-25-2006
Jim in LA coming through for TEAM KNOWLEDGE!
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Navvy said 1:19PM on 10-25-2006
Yikes. Chula Vista is a real dump (referred to as Chulajuana by the other San Diegans).
I wonder why Apple chose that location? Keep the riff-raff away from the upscale Fashion Valley and La Jolla malls?
Considering that some *states* don't even have a single Apple Store, I wish Apple would spread the wealth a little more instead of having multiple locations in a dense metro area.
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ricardo said 2:02PM on 10-25-2006
Navvy - you are real idiot...Otay ranch is one of the newest communites in san diego county. practically every home starts at 600K - has income levels above 100k per household.
apple isn't going to open a store in yuma, az. where the people are pretty close to being about as dumb and ignorant as you.
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P said 1:57PM on 10-25-2006
whoa Navvy. its refered to as chulajuana because its basically the last part of san diego before you hit the border. and yea in past years it was a pretty bad place, but for the last ten years its been voted best part of san diego. now otay ranch and eastlake (which are in chula vista) are two of the most prosperous areas of san diego. theyre basically like poway and del mar but in the southern part of san diego. so go check it out instead of just liking guys and making assumptions.
yea another one for team knowledge. hilarious.
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justfred said 2:24PM on 10-25-2006
The main reason to have a big upscale center in Chula Vista, is for customers coming over from Tijuana. Don't think we'll see an Apple Store in TJ very soon.
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Shane said 2:51PM on 10-25-2006
Justfred... now that is the funniest thing I've hear. There isn't really a consumer base of consumers crossing the border to the US just to go shopping. Its really vice versa.
The store is definitly being built for South County San Diego. Think of it this way... From Chula Vista to Fashion Valley (30min), Fashion Valley to UTC (20min) UTC to Mission Viejo (50min) Apple will have an Apple Store within 30min drive of nearly every populated spot in San Diego.
And Ricardo is right... Chula Vista is a lot better then it was 10 years ago. House pricing has gone up significantly. But I wouldn't go as far as to call it Del Mar like ($1M > homes)
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John said 3:09PM on 10-27-2006
Hella yeah, I'm so there to be the first person @ the genius bar. I'm stoked to have one in Otay Lakes. And yes, NAVVY, Our house is 750k+ which is nothing compared to the surrounding homes. Pretty common to see Ferrari's and Bentley's around the area. And its on EAST Chula Vista, not west of 805 which is the real Chula Juana which I've never heard of. Alright kids, check ya'll out there.
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Gisch said 6:24PM on 10-26-2006
While Apple is giving lots of attention to those in the Southern part of San Diego County, those of us up here in the Northern part of San Diego (Oceanside for example) continue to have to drive down to UTC or Fashion Valley, or up to the Irvine Spectrum Center, all three of which are pretty sucky drives during the times of day that I can get there. Show us people up here some love!
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Ruben said 7:16PM on 10-25-2006
i would be at the opening but i have school, i goto Otay Ranch High School and i was the one who submitted the tip, il buy my C2D MBP there after school if they have some :D. and yes Otay and Eastlake are considered "Rich" Chula Vista. and yes the mall is targeting TJ shoppers especially since they're opening that new highway right next to it that goes directly to the Otay border crossing.
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jc said 10:26AM on 10-26-2006
this new apple store is in a ho-hum location. Yes the community is brand new. and homes super expensive. but its a pain to drive down there!! (at least til the new freeway opens)
the reason the fashion valley and utc/la jolla stores do so well is do to the high foot traffic!! Fashion valley mall sits next to the town n country hotel/convention center. After the conventions break, where do people go for lunch etc. The mall!!The La jolla/utc store is in a great tourist area as well.
Ill make the trek to the new store to check out opening day. but that's it. fashion valley strore is a more central location!!!
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Justin Christiana said 7:48PM on 10-27-2006
I went to the opening got a shirt. Parking was a nightmare. Some idiot tried passing me on the left line then turning right from the left lane right into me. Then yelled like it was my fault.... Ahhh I hate SoCal. Ohh the directiong on the website are wrong the road is closed due to construction. Idiot.... The shirt said Otey Mesa Apple.
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Ruben said 8:08PM on 10-27-2006
well i went right after school to try and buy a C2D MBP and guess what SOLD OUT!!! so now im heading to Fashion valley to buy my MBP
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Billifer said 11:36PM on 10-27-2006
My friend has photos of the opening at his blog.
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Billifer said 11:37PM on 10-27-2006
Oops... URL didn't come through. It's http://spoontr.com/spblog/2006/10/27/otay-ranch-mall-opening/ for the photos.
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Spencer said 7:44AM on 10-28-2006
Thanks for the link. ;)
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jduffy said 10:12PM on 11-16-2006
When was the last time you visited "Chulajuana" as you call it? Homes go for 800k+, and even in the more westerly "Hilltop" area of C.V., older homes go for well over 600k. Your thinking is so 1970s.
The mall is not just targeting TJ--I believe it targets all of the South Bay, Jamul and points east, La Mesa (10 minutes away by the new freeway 125), etc.
One of the best things about living in Chula Vista, eastern or western, is that we don't have ignoramas like you who think it is "dumpy" crowding our city. We have a well kept secret here, and a new mall now to boot.
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