Apple is getting ready to launch their newly redesigned Danbury Fair Mall location with the new design language that has already debuted in other retail locations, such as the Union Square store in San Francisco.
As I arrived this morning, the prep teams were still putting the finishing touches on the store: setting up chairs at the newly designed tables, arranging the milk crate seats in front of the video wall in The Forum, and obsessively, and I do mean obsessively, wiping away every smudge and fingerprint on the massive sliding glass panels that make up the enterance to the store.
The new retail store format is the work of Angela Ahrendts, Apple’s SVP of Retail and Online Store, and Jonathan Ivy, Apple Chief Design Officer.
The store looks absolutely great! It is instantly recognizable as an iconic Apple store, and still offers a clean modern look that makes you want to just come in and hang out. The Forum video wall looks really nice! Coming to the store for the new Apple Today sessions is going to be really great fun.
All of the Apple managers and staff that I have talked to this morning, like me, are really excited for the new store and the format. This store, just like the products that are sold here, is just incredible!
With less than an hour to go before the Danbury store relaunched, the employees are marking the last checks on everything.
As the 10:00am launch our draws near, the crew gets in a group photo.
After the doors opened, the group of enthusiastic customers that had gathered in the mall flooded in!
[Updated with new photos.]