For ten years, Apple Stores have lacked a dedicated service counter. Now it's set to return – and the large video walls at the back of the stores will be removed to make way for it.
Apple has been remodeling its stores for months. This was most recently visible in the accessories section, the redesign of which we described in August. Bloomberg's latest Power On newsletter now describes where this is leading: Apple wants to accelerate the pace of the renovations, and three changes will alter the interiors of the stores more significantly than anything since the switch to the open floor plan.
Key Facts at a Glance
- The Genius Bar is set to return as a separate counter, this time made entirely of wood and with two working heights.
- The large video walls at the back of the stores are to be removed.
- Pickup and Today at Apple classes each get their own niche on the side wall.
- Apple plans to implement the restructuring more quickly in the coming years than before.
- The report does not include a timetable, a list of countries, or a list of affected locations.
What is supposed to change in the stores
The renovations will focus on three areas. First, the furniture in the center will be removed: The pickup table and the large seating area for classes will be moved to niches approximately three meters wide on the side. The pickup niche will be constructed entirely of wood, with a discreet Apple logo in the upper half, lockable drawers for orders below, and a table in front for the exchange. The class niche will have a large screen and also drawers where presenters can lock their devices.
Secondly, the video walls, which previously closed off almost every store at the back and were used for courses as well as advertising, are being removed. Thirdly, in many places, a service counter is being replaced: two working heights for different needs, behind which is a wall with storage space and large-format product posters.
Why the bar counter is coming back
For years, the Genius Bar was the defining feature of the Apple Store. In May 2016, Apple introduced the Genius Grove at Union Square in San Francisco, replacing the counter: an open consultation area with seating where customers could sit next to employees instead of standing in front of them. In the larger stores, real ficus trees grew there, surrounded by benches; elsewhere, the open space remained unplanted. The idea behind this was to present the store as a public space rather than a business.
This very setup is now being reversed. The report states that the goal of the renovations is to focus on traditional, practical tasks: selling, delivering, and repairing. The elements being removed are those that take up space without generating throughput – the open seating area and the video wall.
Regarding its reliability: The report comes from a journalist with a long track record of uncovering Apple's internal projects and describes components down to the choice of materials, suggesting access to concrete planning documents. There is no confirmation from the company, no timeline, and no list of affected stores.
What this means for customers in this country
Anyone who's ever visited an Apple Store here is familiar with both problems the renovation addresses. Currently, picking up an online order means going to a table in the middle of the crowd, and those with a service appointment have to search for the right spot among product displays. A fixed counter with signage solves this without requiring customers to learn anything new.
The loss of the video wall, however, impacts the courses: they will now run on a significantly smaller screen on a side wall. This is sufficient for sessions with few participants, but not for the packed sessions surrounding a product launch. We expect the courses to become smaller and more frequent as a result.
Would you have preferred a fixed counter – or did you prefer the open consultation area without the feeling of waiting in line? Let us know in the comments which of the two options you would prefer in the store.
