Former Apple retail chief Ron Johnson spoke earlier this year at his alma mater Stanford University and talked about the early years of Apple retail stores (via ifoAppleStore). Johnson oversaw the development of the Apple Store and is credited with creating the company's distinctive retail experience.


After joining Apple in 2000, Johnson was given complete control over the company's retail project by then-CEO Steve Jobs. The first Apple Stores featured high-speed Internet connections to attract new customers and were originally designed to create a sense of community among Apple users, not necessarily sell products.

“It was a pure play,” Johnson said of the store design. “There was really no compromise on any of the intuition. And I think that’s how the Apple stores connected (with visitors).” Even today, he said, people go to the stores, “just to go. They don’t go to buy. There are so many reasons to come.”

Johnson joined Apple as Senior Vice President of Retail Operations in January 2000 and remained in that role until 2011, when he departed for a CEO position at J.C. Penney. Under his leadership, Apple's retail operations exploded, generating over a $1 billion in annual sales within two years and eventually leading all U.S. retailers in terms of monetary sales per square foot.

Johnson was succeeded by Dixons' John Browett, who served as Apple's retail chief for a short seven months. Apple's retail operations, which now include 425 retail stores in 16 countries worldwide, are now under the leadership of former Burberry CEO Angela Ahrendts, who joined Apple earlier this year. Ahrendts is best known for her transformation of Burberry from a struggling retailer into a global fashion powerhouse.

Top Rated Comments

dauby88 Avatar
143 months ago
I visit the store nearest my home. It was not always this way. There has been an unfortunate turn. I'll give you an example.

Several months ago I stopped in and looked at the iPad Air. A salesperson approached and asked if I had questions. I only had one. How much memory on the Air.

His response "I don't know." I asked him to find someone in the store who had the info. "No one here knows. Nobody knows. Even Apple doesn't know".

I thanked him and left. This store needs a new manager or Apple needs a CEO.
I assume you were asking about RAM, and not SSD memory. Apple doesn't publish how much RAM is in their iOS devices. Only people who read rumor sites would know such an answer so I don't think the salesperson's response was as awful as you're making it out to be. That would have been the response any time you entered any Apple store selling iOS devices. Same if you asked about processor speed.

Whether you think Apple should make RAM (or clock speed) an important spec when selling their iOS devices is another topic, but thinking the store salespeople are terrible because they only discuss specs that Apple releases is silly.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
napabar Avatar
143 months ago
"The first Apple Stores featured high-speed Internet connections to attract new customers and were originally designed to create a sense of community among Apple users, not necessarily sell products."

This and amazing products made Apple store visits wonderful. I seldom left without making a purchase. Now I avoid the Apple store. If I want a hard sell environment with verbal misrepresentations there are always used car lots to visit.

What Apple store are you visiting? I've experienced nothing like that.....ever.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
hdgarcia Avatar
143 months ago
I visit the store nearest my home. It was not always this way. There has been an unfortunate turn. I'll give you an example.

Several months ago I stopped in and looked at the iPad Air. A salesperson approached and asked if I had questions. I only had one. How much memory on the Air.

His response "I don't know." I asked him to find someone in the store who had the info. "No one here knows. Nobody knows. Even Apple doesn't know".

I thanked him and left. This store needs a new manager or Apple needs a CEO.

Umm, not really an example of a hard sell. And arguably it isn't misinformation either. Although, saying that APPLE doesn't know it is probably not really accurate, it is try that they generally don't publish this information and it requires someone to tear it down and discover this.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
SusanK Avatar
143 months ago
Hmm I'm confused. You did a Personal Pickup and the employee told you they were not happy that you purchased online?

And sales pressure? They don't pressure you Lol. Apple products can sell themselves...

Something isn't adding up.


Yes. I was made aware that the purchase should be made at that retail location.

If they don't pressure in the store you visit good for you.

I'm finished with this topic. It's obvious that some people here think each and every retain store is the same. Any location of any retail store is only as good as the GM. Apple is no exception
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
SusanK Avatar
143 months ago
What Apple store are you visiting? I've experienced nothing like that.....ever.


I visit the store nearest my home. It was not always this way. There has been an unfortunate turn. I'll give you an example.

Several months ago I stopped in and looked at the iPad Air. A salesperson approached and asked if I had questions. I only had one. How much memory on the Air.

His response "I don't know." I asked him to find someone in the store who had the info. "No one here knows. Nobody knows. Even Apple doesn't know".

I thanked him and left. This store needs a new manager or Apple needs a CEO.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
SusanK Avatar
143 months ago
"The first Apple Stores featured high-speed Internet connections to attract new customers and were originally designed to create a sense of community among Apple users, not necessarily sell products."

This and amazing products made Apple store visits wonderful. I seldom left without making a purchase. Now I avoid the Apple store. If I want a hard sell environment with verbal misrepresentations there are always used car lots to visit.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

Apple Watch Ultra Night Mode Screen

Apple Watch Ultra 3 Launching Later This Year With Two Key Upgrades

Wednesday July 2, 2025 1:13 pm PDT by
The long wait for an Apple Watch Ultra 3 appears to be nearly over, and it is rumored to feature both satellite connectivity and 5G support. Apple Watch Ultra's existing Night Mode In his latest Power On newsletter, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said that the Apple Watch Ultra 3 is on track to launch this year with "significant" new features, including satellite connectivity, which would let you...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro Coming Soon With These 14 New Features

Friday July 4, 2025 1:05 pm PDT by
Apple's next-generation iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are just over two months away, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models. Latest Rumors These rumors surfaced in June and July:Apple logo repositioned: Apple's logo may have a lower position on the back of the iPhone 17 Pro models, compared to previous...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro Max Battery Capacity Leaked

Thursday July 3, 2025 5:40 am PDT by
The iPhone 17 Pro Max will feature the biggest ever battery in an iPhone, according to the Weibo leaker known as "Instant Digital." In a new post, the leaker listed the battery capacities of the iPhone 11 Pro Max through to the iPhone 16 Pro Max, and added that the iPhone 17 Pro Max will feature a battery capacity of 5,000mAh: iPhone 11 Pro Max: 3,969mAh iPhone 12 Pro Max: 3,687mAh...
airpods pro 2

AirPods Pro 3 to Help Maintain Apple's Place in Earbud Market Amid Increasing Low-Cost Competition

Thursday July 3, 2025 7:25 am PDT by
Apple's position as the dominant force in the global true wireless stereo (TWS) earbud market is expected to continue through 2025, according to Counterpoint Research. The forecast outlines a 3% year-over-year increase in global TWS unit shipments for 2025, signaling a transition from rapid growth to a more mature phase for the category. While Apple is set to remain the leading brand by...
apple silicon mac lineup 2024 feature purple m5

Apple's Upcoming Macs Listed in New Report

Thursday July 3, 2025 9:09 am PDT by
AppleInsider's Marko Zivkovic today shared a list of alleged identifiers for future Mac models, which should roll out over the next year or so. The report does not reveal anything too surprising, but it does serve as further evidence that Apple is seemingly working on new models of every Mac, including the MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, iMac, Mac mini, Mac Studio, and Mac Pro. Apple is...
iPhone 17 Pro Lower Logo Magsafe

iPhone 17 Pro's New MagSafe Design Revealed in Leaked Photo

Wednesday July 2, 2025 8:37 am PDT by
The upcoming iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are rumored to have a slightly different MagSafe magnet layout compared to existing iPhone models, and a leaked photo has offered a closer look at the supposed new design. The leaker Majin Bu today shared a photo of alleged MagSafe magnet arrays for third-party iPhone 17 Pro cases. On existing iPhone models with MagSafe, the magnets form a...