Page 225 - The Apple Experience

Grand Central Apple Store. Source: Getty Images

The store that Apple opened in one of the world’s busiest train stations,

Grand Central, is radically different that most retail spaces anywhere in the

world. It’s notable for the lack of a retail space. You never enter a store or

leave the station. There are no walls and no separation between the station

and the store. No product boxes can be seen. Instead all the devices are

turned on and sit on large wooden tables evenly spaced between large aisles.

One observer said the store combines the elements of a hands-on science
museum with an art gallery. Fine art requires open space to be seen and

appreciated.

The Grand Central Apple Store is the coolest Apple Store I’ve ever been in. —
Brandon E.

In Apple’s world, anything that detracts from the user experience is
eliminated, in product or store design. When Steve Jobs returned to Apple in

1997 he axed more than 70 percent of the products to focus on the 30