From old palaces to floating spheres, the 10 most popular Apple stores globally

Apple will be opening its fourth store in the UAE on Abu Dhabi's Al Maryah Island, it said on Thursday, adding to its long list of retail locations around the world.

The iPhone maker said Al Maryah store — set to be Apple's 517th globally — will have views of the waterfront promenade, integrating it with the local community and culture.

It also demonstrates the importance of the UAE market for Apple, which already has three stores in the country including at Abu Dhabi's Yas Mall — which was relocated and refreshed last week — and in The Dubai Mall and the Mall of the Emirates.

Following the latest announcement, the UAE will have the most Apple stores in the Middle East and North Africa region.

From its first outlets that opened in the US in 2001, Apple currently has stores in 25 countries, according to its website. Its outlets have become an integral part of the company’s image and culture.

From big restoration projects to aesthetically impressive facades, here are 10 of Apple's most unique stores globally, in order of their opening.

Ginza, Tokyo (2003)

The Apple Ginza showroom's biggest claim to fame is that the Tokyo store was the first to open outside of the US, although it was the 73rd for the company. The multi-storey outlet is also Apple's tallest store and has one of the longest Genius Bars, where tech support is offered, and has elevators that operate with no buttons.

Before the launch of the iPhone in 2007, among Ginza's flagship products were the PowerBook G4, the pre-modern-day iTunes and the iDVD.

Regent Street, London (2004)

Opened in 2004, Apple's Regent Street location in the West End shopping district was the company's first in Europe, and featured an interior made of stainless steel, glass and stone. It received a makeover in 2016, incorporating hand-cut Venetian smalti glass tiles and a central grand hall adorned with trees.

Another pre-iPhone era opening, Regent Street's flagship products at its launch were the iMac G5 and iPod Photo — both of which have long been discontinued.

Fifth Avenue, New York City (2006)

Popularly known as “The Cube” due to its shape, Apple's Fifth Avenue store in New York launched with a bang in 2006, with the company's late co-founder Steve Jobs also welcoming its first customers. It was also an important launch pad for the first iPhone, which was unveiled the following year.

In its 2019 redesign, the store gained a spiral steel-and-glass staircase, mirror-glass Skylenses and honey locust trees. Through 2019, Fifth Avenue welcomed more than 57 million visitors — more than the Statue of Liberty or Empire State Building on an annual basis.

Opera, Paris (2010)

When the curtains were raised on the Apple Opera store in Paris, it was described as a “work of art” and the “grandest”. It features a mosaic tile floor, marble floors, a curving balustrade, wrought iron railings, columns that extend all the way up to the ceiling and a large spiral staircase at the centre — all while keeping the original aesthetic details of the building, which was formerly a bank.

Its location has also added to the store's appeal, with the outlets flanked by Opera Garnier and the popular Paris Opera.

Pudong, Shanghai (2010)

A week after the Paris launch, Apple opened another marvel in Shanghai with its Pudong store. But unlike Paris's historic theme, the first Apple store in the Chinese financial hub embraced a modern vibe. Its entrance features a huge glass cylinder that ferries people to the store, which is underground.

The store is also surrounded by two of the tallest skyscrapers in the world — the Shanghai World Financial Centre and the Oriental Pearl Tower.

The Dubai Mall (2017)

The Apple store at The Dubai Mall, which opened in April 2017, features a balcony that can be visited via motorised carbon-fibre “solar wings” and offers visitors a panoramic view of the Dubai Fountain and Burj Khalifa.

While this was Apple's third store in the UAE, it was also the first in the Middle East to offer the “Today at Apple” learning programmes.

Piazza Liberty, Milan (2018)

Apple's Piazza Liberty branch in Milan — one of two in the Italian city — contains a waterfall called the “glass fountain”, an eight-metre attraction that also serves as the outlet's entrance and a backdrop to the large outdoor amphitheatre.

Featuring backlit ceiling panels, the store, created by Apple's former design head Jonathan Ive and Foster + Partners, has the feel of an art gallery.

Central World, Bangkok (2020)

Apple clearly loves glass and in 2020, the company went all in and unveiled its first store made entirely of glass in Bangkok's famous Ratchaprasong intersection.

The store, which features a cantilevered tree canopy roof, has two levels connected by a spiral staircase that wraps around a timber core. Customers can also choose to use the store's cylindrical lift which has a facade of mirror-polished stainless steel.

The store also directly connects to the Skytrain as well as the city’s largest shopping centre.

Marina Bay Sands, Singapore (2020)

Arguably the most unique Apple store in the world, the sphere-shaped Marina Bay Sands outlet “floats on water".

The Pantheon-inspired store's sphere has an all-glass dome structure that is fully self-supported, made up of 114 pieces of glass and offers 360-degree panoramic views of the city and its skyline.

Entirely surrounded by water, it is Apple's third retail location in Singapore.

Via del Corso, Rome (2021)

One of Apple's biggest restoration projects, the Via del Corso store is located at the grand Palazzo Marignoli, a 19th-century palace located in central Rome.

Inside, visitors will find original detailing of locally sourced Carrara marble, including a staircase dating back to 1888. Several pieces of art have been restored and incorporated into the new store design, including multiple graffiti panels created by Italian painter Afro Basaldella in 1950 and two large ceiling paintings that date back to the early 1900s.