Filed under: Apple Corporate, Retail, Apple
Rumor: Philadelphia's first Apple Store in the works
A few of the rumor sites are reporting that an Apple Store is finally in the works for Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It seems strange to me that a major city like Philadelphia would be without an Apple Store, but what do I know about marketing?MacNN credits an undisclosed source as reporting that Apple has signed a lease to the former Brasserie Perrier restaurant at 1619 Walnut Street [Google map]. This is a protected building with historical significance, so there's a limited amount of changes that can be made to its facade. Of course, the Apple Stores are known for their dramatic glass storefronts, though more subtle facades have been used in Europe.
AppleInsider reports that the retail market has grown in that area recently, specifically across fine dining restaurants, shops and banks. Apple tends to build retail stores in this kind of market.
Good luck, Philadelphia! We're hoping you get your first store soon.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
stargate199 said 4:49PM on 1-19-2009
And the PPA will be ticketing all of the cars sitting outside the store.
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ChopperDave said 4:59PM on 1-19-2009
+1
SubGenius said 2:21PM on 1-20-2009
True. The Philadelphia Parking Nazis are enough to keep me away.
I hope Apple will be offering discounted parking.
Luca said 5:12PM on 1-19-2009
Apple has 8 months to make good on this store! I hate having to drive to King of Prussia.
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jeff said 5:33PM on 1-19-2009
the ardmore store is closer and doesn't have the crazy mall-goers most of the time.
JKT said 5:14PM on 1-19-2009
The Philly area has several Apple Stores:
* King of Prussia
* Ardmore
* Christiana Mall (Delaware--many shoppers go south for tax-free)
* Marlton (NJ)
* Cherry Hill (NJ)
So it's definitely not as if Philly area shoppers have been Apple-deprived. There simply hasn't been an Apple Store in center city.
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Mike said 5:46PM on 1-19-2009
There is also one at the Lehigh Valley Mall too near Allentown.
nanodalek said 6:50PM on 1-19-2009
Dude don't do this. We need an Official Apple store in Center City. Even when I leave 2 hours early I am still late to my appointments at KOP and Ardmore. I know that I could get there quicker if I borrowed or rented a car , but it's the principal, I moves to the city because it had the best public transit:cost of living ratio.
Luca, Most Apple Resellers do offer a student discount. But calling them or asking in person would be the safer way to inquire.
I'll be there with bells on if and when it opens.
Jeffrey said 5:32PM on 1-19-2009
If the rumor is true, I'd like to see how they plan on sticking a store in the space that used to be Brasserie Perrier. They had a very cut up layout with a coat closet and long hallway, wonder if its possible to demo and create the open format that apple retail loves?
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Phil said 5:39PM on 1-19-2009
Springboard Media at 22nd and Walnut has been around for years.
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michael said 5:55PM on 1-19-2009
not for much longer if that store opens. :)
Luca said 6:08PM on 1-19-2009
Will they give me a student discount? I'm asking because I'm a prospective first time mac buyer and a student, I don't know if specialty stores give student discounts.
elziardaim said 8:02PM on 1-19-2009
nothing bad against the old mac way of selling and servicing but Springboard has only existed in the absence of any real competition.
start applying at the Store.
Greg Paradee said 10:54PM on 1-19-2009
@Luca, the Penn Bookstore offers students discounts on Macs.
Sean said 7:02PM on 1-19-2009
there is one in Ardmore, PA which is literally right outside of the city.
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JimBeam said 7:44PM on 1-19-2009
How can it take you two hours to get to the Ardmore store? The R5 regional rail train gets you from Center City to walking distance from the store in about 20 minutes!
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Dave Aiello said 7:44PM on 1-19-2009
There's a gap in Apple Store coverage in the northern part of the Philadelphia area, around Trenton and Princeton, NJ, and Newtown and Yardley, PA. The nearest Apple Stores are an hour away in each direction.
There are lots of people who own iPhones and Macs in this area.
I don't deny that the lack of an Apple Store in Center City is a glaring omission. But it's more a reflection on the business-unfriendliness of Philadelphia than on the magnitude of the opportunity that Apple is missing by not being there.
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elziardaim said 7:59PM on 1-19-2009
thank. god.
second rumor i heard of this. brassier closed as their rent per square foot was going from $19 to $140/ft2 . now i know what lucrative retail space could fill it.
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Anonymous Specialist said 8:53PM on 1-19-2009
NO WAY!
I really hope they aren't. That will lower a lot of the traffic my Apple Store in Ardmore gets, considering we're closer to Philly than KoP is, and not a mall store.
But if it creates more positions, then I'm all for it...
Dilemnas, dilemnas...
Interesting rumor
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Ferd said 11:01PM on 1-20-2009
Apple is simply worried about theft. It is Philly after all. They must have found a way to tag everything so it locks up when it's stolen. They also had to invest in super-strong bars on the storefront.
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