Almost a decade has passed since Steve Jobs (Apple co-founder and CEO) unveiled to the world the first Apple retail store in Tysons Corner, Virginia. Since then, its operations have swept through Canada, Europe, Australia and China, but it is London that boasts the current largest store, on Regent Street. Come 10am on Saturday 7th August, however, Regent Street will lose its crown, handing it over begrudgingly to its nearby new brother, Apple Covent Garden.
Eighteen months of detailed restoration have insured the very fabric of the building, dating back to 1876, has been retained and developed to subtly house Apple's cutting edge gadgetry. Inside the three-tiered layout, a central ground floor courtyard houses a huge iron gate in one of the many elaborate archways. Bathed in natural light from the carefully installed skylight, the courtyard space has been earmarked to host daily workshops and free presentations.
Moving upwards, huge doors and beautifully restored windows adorn the second and third floors, providing dramatic backdrops to the numerous banks of English oak work benches sprinkled with iProduct.
It's clear after even a fleeting visit to Apple's newest space that subtle, considered attention to surroundings is as integral to the brand's success as the development of a cleanly designed, iconic, product portfolio.
Eighteen months of detailed restoration have insured the very fabric of the building, dating back to 1876, has been retained and developed to subtly house Apple's cutting edge gadgetry
A large skylight bathes the courtyard on the ground floor in light
Brick walls are left raw and exposed
Moving upwards, huge doors and beautifully restored windows adorn the second and third floors, providing dramatic backdrops to the banks of English oak work benches sprinkled with iproduct
The store covers three floors
With so much space, Apple have had the luxury to dedicate individual zones to single products
Apple Covent Garden is the brand's 300th store worldwide
ADDRESS
Apple Covent Garden
No 1 The Piazza
London WC2E
-
Hanker after a 1970s supercar? The Encor Series 1 elevates the Lotus Esprit to a new levelThis limited-edition remastering of the dramatic wedge-shaped Lotus Esprit stops at nothing to improve and enhance the original without losing sight of its analogue excellence
-
A new photo book takes you behind the scenes of some of cinema's most beloved films, from 'Fargo' to 'Charlie's Angels'Set decorator Lauri Gaffin captures Hollywood's quieter moments in an arresting new book
-
This sculptural London seafood restaurant was shaped by ‘the emotions of the sea’In Hanover Square, Mazarine pairs a bold, pearlescent interior with modern coastal cuisine led by ‘bistronomy’ pioneer chef Thierry Laborde
-
Hunker down in a perfectly equipped work-from-home hub this winterIf your WFH set-up needs an upgrade, or if you need to kit out a new small business from scratch, we’ve got you covered
-
Apple Watch Ultra 3 has innovation at its heart – a 3D-printed titanium caseWe delve into Apple’s pioneering use of 3D-printed metal, and how it ties in with the company’s path to carbon neutrality
-
Bionic Labs builds precision next-level Apple accessories from aluminium and stainless steelFrom stands, chargers and keyboard trays to a set of accessories for the Vision Pro, Parisian design studio Bionic Labs offers only the best for your Apple gear
-
The best wireless in-ear headphones, tested by expertsOur latest round up of the best wireless in-ear headphones includes products from Apple, Bang & Olufsen, Bose, JBL, Nothing, and Sony
-
We roadtest Apple’s newest wearable tech, the Apple Watch Ultra 3 and Series 11The Apple Watch Ultra 3 hardly reinvents Apple’s most ruggedly handsome of designs, but it does refine it. And for truly off-grid adventurous types, it adds some potentially critical capabilities
-
The Apple iPhone Air leads the company’s round of autumn product launchesThe new Apple iPhone 17 range boasts better cameras, more memory and more Apple Silicon. It launched alongside new Apple Watches, new AirPods and the remarkable iPhone Air. We explore out the key innovations and products
-
For sale: core memories and rare hardware from the early days of Apple Computer‘Steve Jobs and the Apple Revolution’ brings together a clutch of computer collectables from the dawn of Silicon Valley
-
The best over-ear headphones, tested by expertsThis round up of the best over-ear headphones reveals how leading products from Apple, Bose, Focal, Sennheiser, and Sony matched up when we put them to the test
