Last weekend saw the opening of one of the first “next-generation” Apple retail stores in the U.S, in Memphis, TN. The new Saddle Creek Apple Store is located on West Street in Germantown.
AppleInsider got their hands on some exclusive photos of the new store, featuring a logo-less facade, custom wooden wall installations, and an amazing 37-foot video display which is rumored to have cost the Cupertino iPhone maker $1.5 million to create.
As seen in photos provided by AppleInsider reader Wade, Apple’s latest U.S. outlet benefits from the overhauled brick-and-mortar design language dreamed up by retail chief Angela Ahrendts and CDO Jony Ive. The final product matches up with renderings revealed last September.
The high ceilings boast embedded light panels, as well as recessed spotlights that illuminate the product display tables below. The iconic wooden tables, designed by Ive, make their usual appearance. However, the new tables include motion sensors that operate a motorized flip-up panel hiding electrical outlets and USB ports. These tables will also be rolled out to other Apple Stores around the world.
The walls are lined with wooden accessory display installations, which Apple refers to as “The Avenue,” which feature a headphone tryout area, as well as areas for shelves full of speakers, docks, and other accessories. Apple SVP of Retail Angela Ahrendts says the design is meant to simulate the feeling of window shopping in a small town.
The aforementioned massive 37-foot video display stands nearly floor-to-ceiling, and is positioned on the wall opposite to the new store’s all-glass entrance. The high-definition display’s edge-to-edge viewing area is encased in a sleek, black housing. The AppleInsider reader that supplied the publication with the photos noted the new display seemed to be experiencing a few issues, as a few panels in the top left corner were malfunctioning.
The new Saddle Creek Apple Store is located at: 2031 West Street, Germantown, TN 38138. Hours are Monday – Saturday: 10:00AM – 8:00PM, and Sunday: Noon – 5:30PM.
