Inside Apple’s mega new Chadstone store

Take a look inside the tech giant’s huge new Melbourne outlet.

Apple's new Chadstone store. Source: Supplied.

Apple has picked one of the biggest days in Australian retail - Black Friday - to open its giant new redesigned Chadstone store, a huge space three times the size of its predecessor.

The new outlet is Apple’s first new store design in Australia, boasting 4.2m tall bronze pivot doors, a ‘Genius Grove’ filled with trees from Queensland, and a large skylight that sits 7.6m above the store floor.

Apple's new Chadstone store. Source: Supplied.

The California tech giant, which is expected to sell millions of its iPhone X smartphones globally, said it plans to redesign other Apple stores across Australia but wouldn’t reveal which one is next.

Today is a mammoth day for retail in Australia, with Amazon rumoured to be launching locally today and stores across the country flogging ‘Black Friday’ sales. Apple is itself today holding a one-day shopping event, offering up to $210 in added value with the purchase of selected Apple gifts.

Apple’s original Chadstone store opened in 2008 with 69 employees, and had more than 12.5 million visitors walk through its doors.

Apple's new Chadstone store. Source: Supplied.

The company said the team moving to the new Apple Chadstone has grown to more than 240, including seven original team members who have been with the company since Chadstone first opened.

“We’re thrilled to open Apple Chadstone in a stunning new location and introduce Australians to our latest store design, Apple’s senior vice president of Retail Angela Ahrendts said.

“Triple the size of the previous store, Apple Chadstone is an amazing space to experience all of our great products, services and inspiring educational programs that are loved by Apple customers around the world. We look forward to continuing to build on our 22 stores in Australia.”

Other new features in the redesigned store include what Apple calls “The Avenue, featuring interactive walls, or “windows” where Apple will show off its latest products and services.

Apple Chadstone will also host over 60 hours of free creative and educational sessions through “Today at Apple,” an in-store experience the company said is designed to inspire customers through lessons about coding, music making, and other activities.

The store even has a ‘boardroom’ space for entrepreneurs or developers to hold meetings or receive hands-on training with Apple products.

Apple's new Chadstone store. Source: Supplied.

“I’m so excited,” Nick, one of Apple’s Creative Pros, told The Australian. “Seeing all the activity here, it’s really special. It really feels like a community gathering, a meeting place, and the big video wall makes it all so engaging.”