Apple Store

Apple Computer's free-standing physical Retail chain.

As of August 2012, Apple has 395 stores worldwide, with global sales of US$16 billion in merchandise in 2011, and they lead the United States retail market in terms of sales per unit area... Steve Jobs' first push into retail upon returning to Apple was a study for stand alone "store within a store" for 34 sites in Japan. These sites were designed by Eight Inc. who was designing the Apple Mac World and product launch events with Apple. This study became the validation for Apple’s retail market appeal and prototypes began for Comp U S A... In 1999, Jobs personally recruited Mickey Drexler to serve on Apple's board of directors... In 2000, Jobs hired Ron Johnson from Target, where he had been vice president of merchandising responsible for launching the MichaelGraves line of consumer products... On May 15, 2001, Jobs hosted a press event at Apple's first store at the Tysons Corner Center mall... The first two Apple Stores opened on May 19 in Tysons Corner and the same day in Glendale, California at Glendale Galleria.[18] The first Apple Store with the current layout and hardware (wood tables and stone flooring) opened in Pasadena, California... Store sales were double projections the first year with massive crowds and record sales. The iconic New York City 5th Avenue store opened in 2002 became the punctuation to the world that Apple retail had arrived. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_Store