Apple Store

Apple Store is the global retail channel of Apple Inc., where customers and business users can buy iPhone, Mac, iPad, Apple Watch, Apple Vision Pro, and related accessories, as well as access technical support and services such as trade‑in, financing, and device setup. Each location is company owned rather than franchised, providing a consistent, high-finish environment that tends to draw heavy foot traffic and repeated visits.

Apple entered brick-and-mortar retail in 2001, opening its first two stores at Tysons Corner in Virginia and in Glendale, California. The move allowed Apple to control how its products were presented and how customers experienced the brand, a shift that helped define the modern electronics storefront. A notable milestone came in 2016, when Apple began rolling out its “Town Square” concept at key stores like Union Square in San Francisco, emphasizing open gathering spaces, events, and architectural design that positions the store as a community hub as much as a sales floor.

As of September 2024, Apple operates about 530 Apple Store locations worldwide, including more than 270 in the United States and a growing international footprint across Greater China, Europe, India, the Middle East, and Latin America. The portfolio ranges from inline units in top regional malls to prominent high-street flagships and large-format stores integrated into mixed-use podiums and urban districts.

Over the last five years, Apple Store has shifted from rapid unit growth in North America to more selective, design-driven expansion and repositioning. In mature markets such as the U.S. and Western Europe, activity has centered on relocating older stores to larger, more visible spaces, upgrading to Town Square-style layouts, and renovating high-performing sites to match current design and service standards. During the same period, Apple has pushed harder into high-density international markets, adding locations in major European capitals, deepening its presence in Tier 1 and select Tier 2 Chinese cities, and opening first-time and follow-on stores in India’s leading metro areas.

This evolution has reinforced Apple Store’s role as a flagship-quality specialty tenant in many projects. Stores often occupy prime corners, atrium positions, or architecturally prominent façades, frequently in partnership with landlords on broader redevelopment or right-sizing plans. The brand’s emphasis on experiential design, integrated digital services, and ongoing “Today at Apple” programming means locations act as both retail and event venues, supporting longer dwell times and regular return traffic.

Operationally, Apple continues to invest in in-store service capabilities, including Genius Bar support, same-unit repair options, and robust trade‑in and upgrade programs that keep customers circulating through the physical network. These services help tie store performance to Apple’s wider ecosystem of hardware, software, and services, reinforcing the store’s role as an anchor or mini‑anchor in high-end retail environments.

Apple Store is part of Apple Inc., headquartered at One Apple Park Way in Cupertino, California. Retail and People operations are led by senior executives including Deirdre O’Brien, Senior Vice President of Retail + People. U.S. customers can reach Apple’s main sales line at 1‑800‑MY‑APPLE, while individual stores primarily rely on digital and phone communication rather than fax.