What? What? WHAT?
Shutters down on the Apple store? The world devoid of an Apple store? Gasp! Is this the end of the world?
Don’t panic. Don’t panic. When I say it’s shutters down on the Apple Store, I don’t mean that they stores are shutting down. What I actually mean is that the name “Apple Store” is coming under the axe.
So, I repeat, the Apple stores are absolutely fine. They are not going anywhere. You can stop having that heart attack now!
Apple Stores will be called just ‘Apple’ from now on.
In a move to streamline its iconic chain of stores, Apple has decided to drop the word “Store” from the name. From now on, the places will be referred to as just “Apple,” followed by the name of the location. So, “Apple Store, Union Square,” becomes “Apple Union Square”; “Apple Store, Fifth Avenue” becomes “Apple Fifth Avenue” and “Apple Store, The Grove” gets renamed to “Apple the Grove.”
As you may have guessed, Apple is trying to build a new image for these places. They no longer want to brand these places as shops where you buy phones and laptops, and are going in for a more consumer-friendly image.
That’s why they’ve decided to drop the “Store” from the name and promote these establishments as places where you can hangout with friends and have fun. Already, Apple has done away with the Genius bar in many locations and is installing couches and sofas for the customers to sit and relax.
They don’t want to just sell a product to you. They want you to experience the brand Apple!
This rechristening is being reflected in all their online platforms, starting with the individual store pages on the main Apple website. Apple has also sent out memos to all its 479 outlets worldwide to drop the “Store” from the names.
Google has picked up the trend already and it’s displaying the store names in the new format in its search results.
So, the question is – is the word ‘store’ going to become unmentionable? Will we have to call it the Apple place? Apple establishment? Apple outlet?
Turns out, I needn’t have worried so much. You can still refer to these retail locations as “stores” provided you don’t capitalise the ’s’. So, you can visit Apple Brent Cross, or you could ask, “Is there an Apple store on Brent Cross?”
Apple store. Not Apple Store.
It’ll be interesting to see how this new look and feel will pan out when they come to India next year. Because, while it’s perfectly okay to have an Apple Connaught Place or Apple Bandra, inviting the Indian crowd to come in and laze around the entire day on plush couches inside an Apple store may not be a very good idea. We all know what happens when Indians get something for free …
