Apple Computer Inc. (Cupertino, Calif.) opened a new prototype store in Cincinnati's Kenwood Towne Centre on Friday, one of 25 locations Apple will be opening across the country by Christmas.
The 6500-square-foot store, selling Apple software and hardware, is divided into “solution zones” to serve customers'needs: a “music zone” facilitates CD-burning and experimentation; a “kids'zone” is equipped with round, foamy chairs and computers on a child-height table; and the “marketplace” in the center of the store features black wood shelving lined with software. At the back of the store, beside a large screen for merchandise demonstrations, sits the “genius bar,” where trained employees are ready to upgrade equipment and offer guidance.
The design features a pale palette to allow colorful computer monitors and wall graphics to stand out. Creamy polished maple sets off the floor and shelving units against the white walls. Bright digital prints depict lifestyle imagery and active computer screens. Hanging in the two display windows are larger-than-life constructions of Apple products, such as the iPod, a new piece of equipment that burns CDs in seconds and can store up to 1000 songs. Behind the giant iPod is a smoky glass panel printed with the product's user menus, giving passersby a glimpse at how to use it.