Apple will open an Apple Store-within-a-store concept at Macy’s Herald Square flagship location in New York, just in time for the holiday season. The deal also allows the popular retailer to sell the Apple Watch Series 1 and Series 2 models in over 180 of its stores nationwide.
Macy’s President and CEO-designate Jeff Gennette announced the Apple partnership on Thursday, noting terms of the deal allow Macy’s to sell Apple Watch at more than 180 of its top stores come Thanksgiving, reports Fortune.
“It will be in all of our top buildings for the holiday season,” Gennette said.
The deal will see the Herald Square store offering the Apple Watch, iPhone, iPad, MacBook, and a variety of accessories. The setup will be much like the deal between Apple and Target department stores. (Only let’s hope Macy’s handles it better than any Target I’ve ever visited.)
The Apple integration is just one piece of an initiative by Macy’s to improve things, in the face of six straight quarters of dropping sales. The department store chain plans to close more than 100 stores in 2017. Gennette told Fortune deals with outside retailers would an important part of the chain’s turnaround strategy.
The retailer has introduced Finish Line and Best Buy stores-within-a-store to some success, and has forged partnerships with Lids and Sunglass Hut, which has made it an player in eyewear. It wasn’t announced whether Apple would expand it presence to any additional Macy’s locations. The decision likely rides on the results of the partnership at the NYC flagship location.
