The revamp will feature three major changes, Gurman describes. Dedicated Genius Bars will return. The giant video walls currently found in some outlets will vanish. And the “Avenue” sections along the sides of Apple stores will be redesigned and repurposed for collection of online purchases and hosting “Today at Apple” workshops. New fixtures for the Genius Bars and redesigned Avenues will be made entirely from wood, Gurman reports, while looking “fully integrated–as if they had been part of the original design.”
The presence of Genius Bars and the continuation of Today at Apple sessions indicates that the company hasn’t completely given up on its strategy of encouraging customers to visit for reasons other than making a purchase. But such hosting, helping, and community functions are reportedly set to become a lower priority, in stark contrast to the Apple store’s founding principles.
It isn’t clear why Apple wants to move in a different direction now. In 2001 Ron Johnson envisaged the stores as hubs for the Apple user community, and he even modelled early examples on public buildings such as libraries, rather than rival shops. Angela Ahrendts and Jony Ive later evolved the concept as a high-concept luxury space and statement of the company’s aesthetic values: a town hall for likeminded people. This was a risky and unusual approach, but it paid off. (Johnson’s and Ahrendts’ retail efforts each landed them spots in our rundown of the 50 most important people in Apple’s history.)
Gurman adds that Apple is bringing in stricter rules for its retail employees, who have complained about conditions in the past and may be surprised to hear that stricter rules are necessary. Staff will be required to stand throughout pre-opening meetings, he says, and will be forbidden from drinking or looking at devices, and must “stay fully engaged.” When doors open, every staff member will be required to applaud the first customers. It’s debatable whether they will be in the mood to applaud after hearing about the new rules.
