Will it live up to the hype?
The long-awaited official Apple store at Orchard Road is set to open on the 27th May at 10 AM.
The Straits Times reported that workers were seen changing the banner in the front of the store to reflect the anticipated opening date. According to a report by 9to5Mac, Apple employees also confirmed the opening hours of the store. The Singapore retail store, the first in Southeast Asia, will be officially known as Apple Orchard Road and will be open daily from 10 AM to 10 PM.
Apple Orchard Road is also likely to feature Apple’s next-generation retail design, including the ‘Today at Apple’ initiative. This means the store will be offering free workshops and creative help with ‘Creative Pros’ leading these efforts. The retail store will also be the first company in Singapore with a store fully powered by solar energy!
Apple began removing the construction barriers around the store earlier this month, uncovering a large mural with the Apple logo, a heart and a little red dot representing Singapore.
Apple’s plans to open its first official retail store to Singapore were brought to light by gym chain Pure Fitness, which closed its doors in December 2015 to make way for the Apple Store. In November 2015, Apple then confirmed its opening and began hiring retail employees. Initially stated to be opened by the end of 2016, the store opening was delayed twice – for reasons that were undisclosed.
Like the other Apple Store openings around the world, queues are expected to form outside Apple Orchard Road in the days leading up to the official opening of the store.
Other than the company’s newest venture in Singapore, it is also said that Apple is planning a huge retail expansion in Latin America.