8 photos that show how different Apple stores looked when they first opened - and how they've changed

Avery Hartmans

Feb 25, 2020, 20:00 IST

8 photos that show how different Apple stores looked when they first opened - and how they've changed

Win McNamee/Reuters

Late Apple CEO Steve Jobs in 2001.

The first Apple retail stores opened their doors in May 2001.
The first stores had a mix of furniture, hawked deals on third-party products, and had dedicated Genius Bars where people could go for tech support.
Since then, Apple had made the stores look sleeker and more modern and the Genius Bar has become a thing of the past.
When the stores opened in 2001, Tim Cook was Apple's senior vice president of operations - these days, he's CEO.
Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Back in 2001, Apple launched something new that would be ubiquitous in American life and would inspire several other tech companies to follow suit.

Complimentary Tech Event

Transform talent with learning that works

Capability development is critical for businesses who want to push the envelope of innovation.Discover how business leaders are strategizing around building talent capabilities and empowering employee transformation.Know More

But it wasn't a revolutionary new gadget that signified you were on the cutting edge of technology - it was a retail store inside a mall in suburban America.

Apple's first two physical retail locations opened in May 2001 in McLean, Virginia, and Glendale, California. Then-CEO Steve Jobs announced that the stores would be the first of 25 the company planned to open in 2001 as a way for Apple customers to "learn and experience the things they can actually do with a computer, like make movies, burn custom music CDs, and publish their digital photos on a personal website."

These days, Apple has more than 500 retail stores worldwide.

But the Apple retail experience has evolved significantly over the past 19 years. Gone are the curved tables, colorful carpets, and Genius Bar. In their place are long wooden tables chosen by former design chief Jony Ive and roving employees who can take you through the checkout process using just their iPhone.

Here's what Apple stores looked like when they first opened compared to how they look today.

Apple opened its first two stores — Apple Tysons Corner and Apple Glendale Galleria — on May 19, 2001. Apple said that more than 7,700 people visited the two stores during their opening weekend and Apple saw nearly $600,000 in combined sales in the two-day span.

The Tysons Corner store opened first, at 10 a.m. that Saturday. But fans were lined up around the block at 4 a.m. that morning — at the time, it was described as "a scene from a rock concert."

The Glendale store opened a few hours later at 10 a.m. in California.

When Apple unveiled the first store in Tysons, Jobs and other Apple executives, including Tim Cook, were on hand to show off the space and highlight features like the Genius Bar, a space inside the Apple store where customers could ask questions and get tech support.

These days, Apple has done away with the dedicated Genius Bar in favor of having roving employees to help with technical issues ...

... and Tim Cook is no longer Apple's operations chief — he's CEO.

The first stores had a mix of furniture, from curved, solid white tables where products were displayed to low black book cases and cabinets that showed off Apple's software products. High counters lined the walls and low side tables were scattered throughout the space.

Apple has since streamlined the design of its stores. The floor inside the store is the same terrazzo flooring that's used at Apple's headquarters, and the tables are the same ones used by Apple's designers. When former retail chief Angela Ahrendts revamped Apple's stores, Ive reportedly told her, "Don't mess with the tables. They're the same tables we used in our design studio and I love that it goes from the studio to the stores. They're sacred."

But even back in 2001, Apple's stores featured lots of hardwood and white walls, and plenty of open space.

And while Apple's devices have gotten more colorful in recent years, the overall color scheme of the store has remained the same: blank walls and modern, sleek furniture — to better show off the products.

Back in the day, Apple sold tons of third-party devices with prominent signage in the store. The walls were covered with busy-looking promotions, and the shelves were packed with products.

Apple still sells third-party products, but they're now displayed in a more minimalist and aesthetically pleasing way — and are often tucked near the back of the store.

When the stores opened in 2001, they had a dedicated section for kids, complete with low tables and stools, shelves of software programs for kids, and iMacs in kid-friendly colors and patterns.

These days, Apple stores have something called "The Forum," which is a dedicated space for classes in subjects like coding or photography. The spaces feature a 35-foot-wide screen and stools designed by Ive's team. It's a space for kids, too, but these days they're using iPads and Apple Pencils instead of iMacs.

Next Story The world's biggest iPhone factory is reportedly offering $1,000 bonuses to entice workers after being shut down over coronavirus