Elaborate Fruit Stands Bringing Apples to Vancouver, Montreal

Via Paul Hillsdon and ifoAppleStore, comes word that the long rumored Vancouver Apple Retail Store is under construction. I checked this out for myself today, and sure enough, a black wall with only the Apple logo and a URL can be seen on level 3 of Pacific Centre, near where the new H&M will be. Holt Renfrew previously occupied this space. (Map)

As an Apple fan and RSS addict, I'm very disappointed with myself that I didn't see this news earlier. Paul writes "Maybe we Vancouver bloggers don’t visit Pacific Centre very much ;)". Now we have a reason, and actual human representatives of the company to go to when your Mac breaks.

This may be bad news for local independent Mac retailers (Simply Computing, MacStation, WestWorld) who fear being pushed out of business by the mothership whom they've stood by for so long. Hopefully increases in Mac exposure and market share will help sales at these stores instead of cannibalizing them. Best Buy and Future Shop likely won't lose sleep over Apple's intrusion.

Back East, where there are already four Canadian Apple Stores (Etobicoke, Laval, and two in Toronto), construction is active on the Rue Ste. Catherine store in Montreal (Map). The two story size of this store indicates that it may be a larger flagship store, which would be a first for Canada. MacEtMoi has updates and pictures.

Originally launched in 2001, Apple has opened over 200 retail stores mostly in the US, but also in England, Scotland, Ireland, Japan, and Canada. The stores are designed with the same simple, minimal, modern, but spare-no-expense esthetic as Apple's products. Having visited Apple Stores in the US, I can say that they are stunning, truly a computer retail experience like no other. The openings will likely be marked by a pilgrimage of Apple fans lining up early for T-shirts and the honor of being among to first to see the new stores.