Apple’s flagship store on George St. in Sydney will reopen on May 28 at 10:00 AM following renovations that began in early January. The store is Apple’s only location in Australia that did not reopen on May 7 after the COVID-19 pandemic prompted temporary store closures across the world.
Apple Sydney closed on January 5 for upgrades that are expected to include a Today at Apple Forum with a video wall for creative sessions. While the pandemic has disrupted community events for the foreseeable future, the redesign will be put to good use when live events can begin again. Other changes to the store will include new fixtures and design elements like Avenue shelving and a Boardroom. Similar redesigned stores like Hong Kong’s Causeway Bay added indoor trees.
When Apple Sydney reopens, it will operate with limited hours and new safety procedures already witnessed at Australia’s 21 other Apple Store locations. The new measures were documented by Apple in an open letter to customers last week, and we investigated how they compare to other leading retailers.
The reveal of Apple Sydney’s new look will mark its first redesign since opening in 2008. An upgraded store will be an exciting improvement for customers who frequent the flagship location, but keep in mind that social distancing measures and safety precautions are still paramount at this time. You may experience a delay entering the store to browse without an appointment.
To learn more about Apple’s new safety procedures, check out our interactive reopening tracker. To learn more about what you can expect to see when Apple Sydney reopens, visit Department Map, the Apple Store glossary.
If you attend Apple Sydney’s reopening or spot something interesting, we’d love to see and share your photos. Follow our retail guide for in-depth coverage of the latest Apple Store news.
Apple Sydney will be the first time Apple has attempted anything resembling a new store opening since before the pandemic. It’ll be interesting to see how well excitement can be balanced with safety. Unfortunate for the teams who worked on the Forum and now can’t host sessions.
— Michael Steeber (@MichaelSteeber) May 25, 2020
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