APPLE STORE DUBLIN??

nowayout1

i know this is an old old rumor and wanted to know what other peoples opinions on it was. if Apple is to open an official Apple store in Dublin were could we see it open and when?

i've noticed on old rumors that it would most defiantly be on Grafton Street, but could we see in open over the next year or 2?

Sad Professor

Who knows. CompuB have a branch on Grafton Street which probably fills the need for an Apple Store in Dublin for the immediate future. Apple are extremely picky about where they locate their stores. They'll set up here eventually, probably with multiple stores across the country, but no one can say when.

Fat_Fingers

There is Compu b (Apple Premium Reseller) in Pavilions shopping centre Swords.

http://www.pavilions.ie/stores/compu-b-2/

Sad Professor

Fat_Fingers wrote: »

There is Compu b (Apple Premium Reseller) in Pavilions shopping centre Swords.

http://www.pavilions.ie/stores/compu-b-2/

I didn't know about this. Did it open recently?

Official Apple Store in the near future is looking even less likely.

aidan_walsh

Sad Professor wrote: »

I didn't know about this. Did it open recently?

Official Apple Store in the near future is looking even less likely.

Opened at the start of December IIRC.

ironclaw

I was in the Grafton CompuB over Christmas. Wasn't terribly impressed versus Victoria Square. Staff weren't great and not very friendly. Seems to be a case of "We're the only resellers so deal with it" Heard good reports about their servicing though. Could do with a proper Genius Bar for sure.

I doubt Apple with open an Irish store. I'm sure they would have by now if they wanted to given the good years. If they do open one, I can't see it being in town. The rent is just too much (Is it still the most expensive in the world?) It will probably be in Dundrum or a similar spec shopping centre I'd say.

Cool Mo D

If they open one, it will definitely be in town. Look at all their other stores around the world - the first one in a city is always on the main shopping street.

I'd say they will open one on Grafton street sooner or later, but I doubt they're in any hurry to do so at the moment.

nowayout1

yeh they wouldn't be in a hurry, probably waiting to see the rents on grafton street flat line and then open one and hold the rent at the price for a few years so they get there moneys worth for a couple of years, but it could be on O'Connell street either near the GPO with the metro almost getting the go ahead, getting off at the o'connell street stop and seeing an Apple store there would be nice, direct to airport and luas going by it too so it'd be accessible to everyone, or a new york and shanghai style underground Apple store?

BBMcQ

Haha no chance of it being anything architecturally explosive á la 5th Ave. I read a while ago that there was global roll out in place and they go country by country. Obviously Belfast got one being part of the UK even though Dublin would have been more profitable in the good years.

I would say we'll get one when New Zealand gets one They only have resellers too. The attitude is probably "there's one 90mins up the road" which isn't far for a yank!

fox007

Xpert bar has anyone used there service?

nowayout1

Ya never know it'd be sweet if they did do it. So maybe in 4-6 years time we'll see one in Ireland. On wikipedia they are showing how many stores Apple is planning on opening in each country china is gonna have 25 more stores added which is mad

ted1

china has a population of over 1 billion. How is it mad having one that serves 40million people? When you expect them to have one in ireland to serve 4million.

bd250110

There are (or were very recently) official apple concession stores within certain PC World stores. Mahon Point, Cork had one.

Obviously Belfast got one being part of the UK even though Dublin would have been more profitable in the good years.

I would guess being part of the UK is exactly why Belfast got one over Dublin. Being part of the UK infrastructure and pre-existing UK Retail division probably makes all the difference. Apple Belfast is part of a 30+ store group, Apple Dublin would be a stand alone store.

Apple tends to open in large-format shopping centres (either brand new, or redeveloped), or iconic shopping streets. Locations like Covent Garden in London, the Eldon Sq extension in Newcastle, Cabbot Circus in Bristol, Liverpool1 and the new Trinity development in Leeds. 1million sq ft + developments. There is no development of that scale going on in Dublin at the minute. Places like North O'Connell Street or the Arnotts development would have been ideal.

Jimdagym

bd250110 wrote: »

There are (or were very recently) official apple concession stores within certain PC World stores. Mahon Point, Cork had one.



I would guess being part of the UK is exactly why Belfast got one over Dublin. Being part of the UK infrastructure and pre-existing UK Retail division probably makes all the difference. Apple Belfast is part of a 30+ store group, Apple Dublin would be a stand alone store.

Apple tends to open in large-format shopping centres (either brand new, or redeveloped), or iconic shopping streets. Locations like Covent Garden in London, the Eldon Sq extension in Newcastle, Cabbot Circus in Bristol, Liverpool1 and the new Trinity development in Leeds. 1million sq ft + developments. There is no development of that scale going on in Dublin at the minute. Places like North O'Connell Street or the Arnotts development would have been ideal.

Dundrum centre is ideal for it. Notwithstanding the fact that its not city centre.

Genius bar going into compub in swords, so I doubt we will see one anytime soon.

Oafley Jones

Fat_Fingers wrote: »

There is Compu b (Apple Premium Reseller) in Pavilions shopping centre Swords.

http://www.pavilions.ie/stores/compu-b-2/

God I hate the use of the word premium by compuB. It's so obnoxiously pretentious. Apple will open their own stores eventually and cut out middlemen like compub. It's only a matter of when.

aidan_walsh

Premium Reseller is a term used by Apple, describing the level of support you will get from the store and the training the staff have received (often directly from Apple themselves. I believe CompuB staff go to Apple in Cork for much of their training).

Sad Professor

Yup. Also I was under the impression that even the design and layout of the shops are approved by Apple. So they are the closest thing to a real Apple Store for the time being.

ironclaw

Oafley Jones wrote: »

God I hate the use of the word premium by compuB. It's so obnoxiously pretentious. Apple will open their own stores eventually and cut out middlemen like compub. It's only a matter of when.

Could actually be a barrier to an Apple store. From Apple's perspective, they have people on the ground already so having their own store would be no major bonus bar image. In addition, whoever owns CompuB probably has the ace in the hole as they probably have exclusivity on certain aspects for a good few years.

Lordhumphreys

I believe Apple were seriously looking into acquiring the AIB branch on Grafton Street (beside River Island) and putting in a hug Apple Store - but that was pre-crash, so the rents were still sky high. At the time AIB were looking to pull out of that building, after the River Island building had changed hands for a substantial amount of money. I guess they're glad now they never did.