The Amazing Lincoln Park Apple Store

Photo: Kevin Zolkiewicz

The glowing white apple appeared in the distance as the overcrowded bus inched slowly forward.  Closer and closer we grew to the light, drawn like flies to a flame.  And when the bus finally stopped, and its riders piled out into Chicago's arctic chill, we stopped.  And gazed.  And gazed.

Apple, Inc. has out-done themselves with their newest store in the Lincoln Park neighborhood.  A gigantic steel-clad structure in the middle of an intersection is hard to miss.  It certainly is a landmark destination, an experience so many companies (think American Eagle in Times Square) are striving to create.  In this sometimes-difficult retail climate, there has to be something more than discounted merchandise to pull customers into a store.  And with Apple's store, there definitely is something more.

We think of Apple (also referred to as "The Mac Store" or "The iPod Store" by some) as a destination because of the overall experience the design creates.   Why not buy the iPod at Walmart, or Target, or Best Buy?  Because, the buying experience isn't about concrete floors or warehouse-style halogen lighting.  It's about an experience, a community, and maybe even a religion. 

A few days before my journey to Chicago, I had coffee with a former colleague and current friend.  He told me he had been to this store before and suggested that Apple had built a cathedral.  He is exactly right.  A cathedral it is.  Located in the middle of a neighborhood, it is a meeting place to worship the Apple Brand, to seek wisdom and guidance in technology and in life.  Aesthetically, it is a place of worship, also.  The large white Apple logos dominate the North and South walls of the space, much like a crucifix in a church.  The tables are laid out in a linear fashion like pews.  Grandeur and space abound.  There are even employees roaming in uniform to take donations (or payment) from customers.

I'm not sure if the store design team took inspiration from place of worship.  These similarities might be just that, coincidences between worship and retail.  But, it works.  A Thursday afternoon saw this space packed with customers.  As for Sunday mornings, I'm not sure.

​Photo: Kevin Zolkiewicz