It's a fine Saturday for a new Apple Store -- in fact, it's a fine day for five of them, ranging from the mighty Pacific to the towering Rockies, from the fruited hills of Pennsylvania to the verdant valleys of Northern Ireland. [Dial it back there, Woody Guthrie. – Ed.] Even as most economic indicators suggest a surging market in canned goods and clothing made from barrels, Apple is merrily investing in more retail outlets.

Fresh from the opening of the Park City Apple Store in Lancaster, PA, reader Jonathan Ober sent in his photos of the festivities; you can review all the fun in the gallery below. Did you visit one of the other store openings today? Shoot us a quick tip with a link to your photos or stories and we'll share them with the world.

Another note for anyone visiting the stores this weekend: I noticed at the 14th Street store in New York City yesterday that the new iPod nanos ($149/$199 US) were paired up in demo stations with the Bose QuietComfort 3 noise-cancelling headphones ($350 US).

While the sound quality was extraordinary, and the noise-suppression effect quite noticeable on the loud 2nd floor of the store, I have to think that using a pair of cans that costs 2x as much as the iPod isn't really fair to consumers, who are going to be a little disappointed with the bundled headphones after that experience. Are the Bose high-end 'phones ubiquitous in all stores with the nanos, or just in NYC? If you're shopping for a new iPod, do you bring your own headphones along to try it out? Just wondering... let us know below.

Apple is opening its fifth retail location in San Diego county at Westfield North County Fair in Escondido this Saturday at 10 a.m. The Apple Store is centrally located in the mall on the middle level across from Nordstrom.

Opening the same day at 9 a.m. is an Apple Store for Lancaster, PA at the Park City Center. There, the Apple Store is located next to The Bonton and The Gap. Colorado Springs, CO is also getting an Apple Store at The Promenade Shops at Briargate. It opens at 10 a.m., and is located next to Pier 1 Imports on the west side of the mall. (Bonus typo on the map page.) The bay area gets another location in San Mateo, at the Hillsdale Shopping Center. It also opens at 10, and is located next to Guess and the Lego Store.

And to top it all off, the first Apple Store in Northern Ireland -- at Victoria Square in Belfast -- will be throwing open its doors at 9 a.m. The Apple Store is located on the Upper Ground Floor.

All times are local. All five grand openings will feature t-shirts for the first thousand customers, and probably lots of high-fives and yelling.

Thanks, Toby, Ross, and Jonathan!

Is it strange to feel affectionate towards a shopping mall? While I didn't visit Park City in Lancaster, PA as a kid, I still have a sense of it being "my mall" -- my wife grew up in Lancaster, and I think over the years I've absorbed some of her connection to the place. Retail nostalgia by spousal proxy? I'll have to check for that in the DSM-IV.

Now, with confirmation that an Apple Store is heading for Park City (initially reported by ifoAppleStore in April), I'm struck by this odd sense of pride mixed with relief. Pride, because my adopted mall is getting its own Apple Store at last; relief, because now I can dispatch my father-in-law somewhere closer to home when he needs hardware help. Maybe I should visit the Genius Bar there and leave them a photograph and an system profile, just in case.

LancasterOnline.com reports that the store will occupy a 4,900-square-foot slot in the mall, and it's expected to open by late October 2008. I hope that the presence of the new store will validate and enhance business at Lancaster's indie Mac dealership Macheads, but I fear that they may find business slipping over to the new shop over time.

Thanks, CR!