Apple Store Modernization Efforts Continue From Los Angeles to London - MacRumors
Skip to Content

Apple Store Modernization Efforts Continue From Los Angeles to London

Apple's process of modernizing its chain of over 500 retail stores continues in several major cities around the world.

Over the weekend, Apple celebrated the grand opening of its relocated Beverly Center store in Los Angeles. Apple's original store in the shopping mall, opened November 2005, permanently closed at the end of Friday.

apple beverly center

Apple's new Beverly Center store via Instagram

Apple's remodeled stores often gain additional square footage to accommodate an increased number of both products and customers. The extra space is also beneficial to Today at Apple sessions related to photography, coding, exercising with the Apple Watch, and other topics.

Apple's latest retail design, introduced in 2015, typically includes large glass doors, large video screens for product marketing and in-store events, and sequoia wood shelves on the walls for accessories.

Apple recently announced that its flagship Covent Garden store in London will be closed starting June 27 to allow for renovations to be completed. Of note, this location became Apple's largest store when it first opened in 2010, although it has since ceded the title to a newer store in the United Arab Emirates.

apple covent garden sign

A sign at Apple Covent Garden tipped by a MacRumors reader

Likewise, 9to5Mac's Michael Steeber reported that Apple Wangfujing in Beijing will be closed for renovations starting June 24.

Elsewhere in the Greater China region, Apple has revealed that it will be opening a second store in Macau, along the Cotai Strip, an area with several hotels, casinos, and resorts, earning it the nickname of the Las Vegas of Asia. Apple has yet to specify an exact opening date, but it could be within the next month.

image3

Apple's banner for its second store in Macau via MacRumors reader Chris Gooda

Apple's renovation efforts continue at its iconic Fifth Avenue store in Manhattan, and at its Palo Alto store, often visited by Apple CEO Tim Cook on product launch days due to its close proximity to Apple's headquarters.

fifth ave cube reinstalled

Apple reinstalling its glass cube on Fifth Avenue via MacRumors reader David Bills

Other regional stores closed for renovations include locations in Charlotte, Nashville, and Westchester County north of New York City.

Update: As noted by a MacRumors reader, Apple Causeway Bay in Hong Kong is also undergoing renovations, although the store remains open.

Update 2: Apple has announced on its store page for the Cotai Central location in Macau that the grand opening will be June 29.

Popular Stories

Apple Store Hello

Apple Stores Have a New 'Hello' Easter Egg, Here's Why

Friday September 18, 2026 5:42 am PDT by
Starting today, many if not all Apple Stores around the world have received a new "hello" decoration somewhere in the store for the purposes of testing iPhone camera zoom. Like the iPhone 17 Pro models, the new iPhone 18 Pro models that launched today offer up to 8× optical...
apple store down 2026 iphone 18 pro

Apple Store Down Ahead of iPhone 18 Pro Pre-Orders

Friday September 11, 2026 11:30 pm PDT by
Apple's online store is down ahead of iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max pre-orders, which begin at 5:00 a.m. Pacific Time on Saturday, September 12. "We love that early energy," reads the Apple Store's message when visiting the U.S. website. "Almost ready for you. Pre-order begins at 5:00 a.m. PT. See you soon." Apple has been opening pre-orders at 5:00 a.m. Pacific Time for several years, ...
Apple Fifth Avenue iPhone 18 Pro

Apple CEO John Ternus Teases iPhone 18 Pro Launch Day

Thursday September 17, 2026 8:10 pm PDT by
Apple Fifth Avenue in New York is ready for iPhone 18 Pro launch day. The store's iconic glass cube entrance has received a colorful makeover that matches the iPhone 18 Pro's new Burgundy and Glacier finishes. "So excited for tomorrow," said Apple CEO John Ternus, who will likely be at the store for the launch...

Top Rated Comments

108 months ago
apple's product changes have been so miniscule in the past years that the value of these stores has decreased significantly. for me it is basically zero.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
108 months ago
You can tell its modern by how white the walls are and how little products are on display.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
108 months ago
Great products mean great sales, period. "Innovation" can be garbage too. Innovation doesn't necessarily make a great product.

A few innovative items:

* iPhone X
* Airpods
* Apple Watch with cellular
* A-Series Silicon
* FaceID
* Privacy/Security (Bugs are fixed, don't start saying these aren't industry leading)

Mac innovation isn't going to be as obvious because the product life cycle is longer and the size of the business is relatively smaller. Computers/Laptops are going to get updated processors and software, but they aren't going to move as fast as mobile and wearables.

I think Apple has done a phenomenal job managing the business. You don't innovate so fast that you lose sales. You slowly release features and market them to maximize sales. That's business. It's working, btw. If people buy and are satisfied with incremental innovations, it is smarter to release them as needed and when the features are fully vetted...not just innovating to innovate.
And to that I'd add MBPs with four ports of prodigious bandwidth multipurpose 40 Gb/sec Thunderbolt 3, 5K iMac displays with DCI-P3 color gamut, iMac Pro, Homepod, and ARKit.

In many ways, Apple is beholden to Intel. I suspect that will change within the next two years.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
BrettArchibald Avatar
108 months ago
You can tell its modern by how white the walls are and how little products are on display.
"How white the walls are..." :rolleyes:

Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
108 months ago
I guess you haven't really paid attention to all the changes they've made or they aren't valuable to you? Doesn't mean the changes have been "miniscule" to others or that the value of the stores has decreased.

The entire company is more valuable today than ever before, so it kind of refutes your thesis.
The value of the company and how good it's products are aren't mutually inclusive. matt_and_187_like_this ('https://forums.macrumors.com/members/matt_and_187_like_this.1007624/') is correct that Apple's product changes especially in regards to Mac have been demonstrably non-innovative and utterly lackluster since the round Mac Pro came out in 2013.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
BrettArchibald Avatar
108 months ago
That's the store that hasn't been done yet. The Covent Garden Store, which IMO is FAR superior to the extremely sterile product-vacuum over on Regent St.

This upcoming refurb is a shame, because I've been using Covent Garden pretty much exclusively for the past couple of years, even though I work at the western end of Soho. I don't like the new design.
Yep, I know it's the Covent Garden store. I used to work in Covent Garden a few years ago.
I like the Apple Store there. It's quirky and has character, but I'll admit, it's not a very "Apple-like character"...
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Latest Stories
M6 Pro Chip Result on Geekbench is Likely Fake
M6 Pro Chip Result on Geekbench is Likely Fake
12 hours ago
Apple Watch Ultra 4 Sees First Discount After Launch, Now $779.99 on Amazon
Apple Watch Ultra 4 Sees First Discount After Launch, Now $779.99 on Amazon
15 hours ago
Top Stories: iOS 27 and macOS Golden Gate Out Now, Siri AI Waitlist, and More
Top Stories: iOS 27 and macOS Golden Gate Out Now, Siri AI Waitlist, and More
17 hours ago
Apple Exec Says 'Hold Us Accountable' on iPhone Duo Crease
Apple Exec Says 'Hold Us Accountable' on iPhone Duo Crease
1 day ago
iPhone 18 Pro Max Requires 'Prepare to Ship' Battery Drain Before Shipping
iPhone 18 Pro Max Requires 'Prepare to Ship' Battery Drain Before Shipping
1 day ago
Hands-On With the Apple Watch Series 12
Hands-On With the Apple Watch Series 12
1 day ago
M5 Ultra and M6 Chip Benchmark Results Reveal Graphics Performance
M5 Ultra and M6 Chip Benchmark Results Reveal Graphics Performance
1 day ago
iPhone 18 Pro Max in U.S. Has Qualcomm's Snapdragon X80 Modem
iPhone 18 Pro Max in U.S. Has Qualcomm's Snapdragon X80 Modem
1 day ago
Apple Releases Xcode 27.1 Beta With iPhone Duo Support
Apple Releases Xcode 27.1 Beta With iPhone Duo Support
2 days ago
Apple Watch Series 12 vs. Ultra 4 Buyer's Guide
Apple Watch Series 12 vs. Ultra 4 Buyer's Guide
2 days ago
MacRumors Giveaway: Win an iPhone Duo From iMazing
MacRumors Giveaway: Win an iPhone Duo From iMazing
2 days ago
'Shop Different': Apple Retail Pioneer Ron Johnson Shares the Inside Story
'Shop Different': Apple Retail Pioneer Ron Johnson Shares the Inside Story
2 days ago
Apple Teams Up With ROSÉ for iPhone 18 Pro Camera Ad
Apple Teams Up With ROSÉ for iPhone 18 Pro Camera Ad
2 days ago
The MacRumors Show: Is the iPhone Duo Actually Worth It?
The MacRumors Show: Is the iPhone Duo Actually Worth It?
2 days ago
Apple Designers Explain the Thinking Behind iPhone Duo
Apple Designers Explain the Thinking Behind iPhone Duo
2 days ago
Are iPhone 17 Pro Cases Compatible With iPhone 18 Pro? Here's What Apple Says
Are iPhone 17 Pro Cases Compatible With iPhone 18 Pro? Here's What Apple Says
2 days ago
Apple Supplier Subsidiary Considering U.S. Flash Memory Factory
Apple Supplier Subsidiary Considering U.S. Flash Memory Factory
2 days ago
Apple Launch Day Deals on iPhone 18 Pro, AirPods 5, Apple Watch Series 12, and More
Apple Launch Day Deals on iPhone 18 Pro, AirPods 5, Apple Watch Series 12, and More
2 days ago
iPhone 18 Pro Teardown Reveals How Apple Shrunk the Dynamic Island
iPhone 18 Pro Teardown Reveals How Apple Shrunk the Dynamic Island
2 days ago
iPhone 18 Pro Demand Stronger Than Expected
iPhone 18 Pro Demand Stronger Than Expected
2 days ago
Fan Site Lets You 'Design the Next iPhone'
Fan Site Lets You 'Design the Next iPhone'
2 days ago
Apple Stores Have a New 'Hello' Easter Egg, Here's Why
Apple Stores Have a New 'Hello' Easter Egg, Here's Why
2 days ago
iPhone 18 Pro: The New Features You Should Try First
iPhone 18 Pro: The New Features You Should Try First
2 days ago
iPhone 18 Pro: Using the New Variable Aperture Lens
iPhone 18 Pro: Using the New Variable Aperture Lens
2 days ago
Forgot to Pre-Order iPhone 18 Pro? Apple Store Pickup Available Today at Most Locations
Forgot to Pre-Order iPhone 18 Pro? Apple Store Pickup Available Today at Most Locations
2 days ago
Apple CEO John Ternus Teases iPhone 18 Pro Launch Day
Apple CEO John Ternus Teases iPhone 18 Pro Launch Day
2 days ago
First iPhone 18 Pro, Apple Watch Series 12, Apple Watch Ultra 4 and AirPods 5 Orders Arriving to Customers
First iPhone 18 Pro, Apple Watch Series 12, Apple Watch Ultra 4 and AirPods 5 Orders Arriving to Customers
2 days ago
iPhone 18 Pro Launching Tomorrow With These 10 New Features
iPhone 18 Pro Launching Tomorrow With These 10 New Features
2 days ago
How to Get the New 3-Month Trial of Apple One Premier ($120 Value)
How to Get the New 3-Month Trial of Apple One Premier ($120 Value)
2 days ago
New iPhone 18 Pro Models Will Have Day One Update
New iPhone 18 Pro Models Will Have Day One Update
2 days ago