Apple's Larger Store at Canada's Square One Mall Opens Next Saturday

[EugW]

Saw a failed mall where one of the last remaining tenants was an Authorized Apple Reseller. In this case Apple's presence just delayed the inevitable.

Authorized Apple resellers don’t really count in this context. I have seen several Apple authorized resellers here that chose places with mediocre foot traffic simply because the rent was cheap.

 

[Sippincider]

Authorized Apple resellers don’t really count in this context. I have seen several Apple authorized resellers here that chose places with mediocre foot traffic simply because the rent was cheap.

This particular one was in a good location in its day, the mall and neighborhood died around them.

They did stay too long though, maybe they were getting a bargain on rent who knows. Was creepy at the end walking down the empty halls past the caged former storefronts...

(FWIW the better-managed malls don't show off their empty space with "For Lease!" signs; those just add to the spiral.)

 

[Baritone_Guy]

Man, I remember when Square One first opened way back when. It was quite something at the time. Originally the centre of the mall was an open outdoor court, but thats long since gone.

I’ve done a lot of shopping there until I moved aeay fifteen years ago.

I remember that. At the time we lived in Malton and could take the route 7 bus to get there. Took better part of an hour. My dad would give me enough money so I could take my sisters to a movie so they could have some kid free time. The theater then was where near the Bay where the gym is today.

I was also a fan of the figure 8 shaped Sherway Gardens.

 

[Fuzzball84]

it scares me why apple keeps opening stores when both iPad and Mac sales are down. even iPhone not selling as well as they original.ly planned. I guess they plan on selling lots of $4000 Vision Pro units.

They dont own any of the land all their stores are on. So they could easily rapidly close stores like a McDonalds one day with only the leases to worry about.

A fewApple stores ive been to recently and thereare morestaff than customers…

It amazes my why they'll penny-pinch hardware to the point of hurting performance, while sparing no expense in marketing and presence.

Though even marketing and presence is better than pouring $10 billion into a project and then cancelling it...

image and marketing will long survive a single device… your device is just part of a transaction… they only e ist to make sure that transaction benefits the company more than yourself, financially.

 

[ADiddy88]

SQ1, Yorkdale and STC thrive because they are also major city transit centers and connection hubs for buses etc. which brings in a ton of foot traffic. In addition, they are also “easier” to park at as well. Sherway is also thriving. Location, layout and stores/restaurants are obviously the other major components.

IMO, Apple Stores are there primarily for support/service. Then in hand product showcase and education. Their profit from in store sales vs cost per square foot is probably on the lower side. But its a branding/advertising thing that reaps rewards in other indirect ways/sales - online or other retailers with better pricing. It lets them control the customer engagement experience. The misinformation by big box retailer staff before Apple Stores about Apple products really hurt the brand. Even today its still an issue when there is no Apple rep onsite.

I'd also say Fairview Mall is thriving as well. It always seems so busy whenever I'm there. Like some of the other malls, it too is a transit centre with Line 4 ending there.

 

[SamRyouji]

I get where you're coming from, but way back when I had a damaged screen on my laptop and the price for replacement was super, super high from Apple. However, the local 3rd party authorized repair centre said they could replace it with a refurb screen which saved me hundreds of $. It was nice to be able to get an Apple authorized service technician but using cheaper parts sourced elsewhere. A step down from new Apple parts but way, way cheaper, and a big step up from unauthorized shops.

In my country (and basically almost any other countries, mostly in SEA), when iPhones didn't have a remote lock function the thefts are rampant. Lots of "unit only iPhones" went on sale on used marketplace.
When Apple introduced Find My iPhone with Lost Mode around 2009, the thefts still rampant. Thieves will simply tore those iPhones and sell out parts to lots of unauthorised 3rd party repair shops. To prevent this, Apple went to the most hardcore route ever: serialised the parts and software locked them so only authorised repair shops could repair them. Now this certainly backfired rather spectacularly as we know already.
Of course, thieves being thieves, they have been simply prying you out typing passcode then stole your iPhone when they got the chance, up until a few months ago when Apple introduced yet another feature: Stolen Device Protection. This, in my opinion, is simply a workaround though.
.
TL;DR: Protections against theft are really a double edged sword.

 

[satchmo]

It's a shame so many malls failed in the past 20 years.... some of them (in US and Europe) were just amazing places where so much was happening... real community centres.

Only when they disappear... and you're relying on deliveries or going to boring outdoor/out of town retail "parks" do you realise what was lost.

There was only so much businesses could do, since consumer habits changed. Hopefully companies like Apple will really invest (not just money) and re-invigorate this commercial space (in general).

Honest question: How is that mega malls are thriving in Asia in cities such as Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur?

Yes, there's a huge population notably in Bangkok, but is there anything inherently different in shopping habits between the east and west?

 

[Fuzzball84]

Honest question: How is that mega malls are thriving in Asia in cities such as Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur?

Yes, there's a huge population notably in Bangkok, but is there anything inherently different in shopping habits between the east and west?

Im not sure… thats a good question

But i suspect that its plain old economics… the west is in relative and in some cases, absolute decline. Theres just not the spending like there used to be…everyone is cutting back. Just walk down any western high street and you know things are not going well.