$200m Apple store for Melbourne?

Stan Beer
Monday, 12 February 2007 16:45

IT Industry - Strategy

Hot off the press from gadget site Gizomodo is a report that Apple Inc plans to open a new high profile Australian Apple Store as a part of a $200 million development in the heart of Melbourne's trendy South Yarra district. If the report is true, then the store will be located literally across the street from Microsoft's Melbourne sales office.

The site of the new store will the corner of Chapel Street and Toorak Road, currently a run-down low-rise building that has housed various entertainment venues and commercial premises over the years. It currently houses a run-down upstairs pinball parlour called the Fun Factory which was once a reasonably upmarket amusement center that metamorphosed into a roller blade rink before degenerating into its present state.

Schematics of the proposed redevelopment show a large cube shaped Apple store occupying the corner, flanked by two medium-sized high rise buildings. The development would be directly across the street from the Como center, a building which houses Melbourne's Channel Ten TV station as well as the city's sales office of Microsoft.

Rumours of a new Apple store opening in Australia have been circulating for some weeks. At present, like other major Australian cities, Melbourne has a range of Apple resellers. How their businesses would be affected by a new high profile Apple owned store is yet to be seen.