It looks like Apple wants to expand its retail footprint — the company is reportedly in talks to purchase a $50 million retail store in Mebourne’s Federation Square. The store would serve as a flagship location for Apple in Australia.
The news comes from Australian publication The Age, which notes that Apple is in negotiations to demolish the building currently in Federation Square and replace it with a more classic-looking Apple structure with an all-glass facade. That could be somewhat controversial — the building currently in place is somewhat of a landmark, and it architecturally matches the buildings around it.
This won’t be the first controversy in Federation Square — when the current buildings were built following an international design competition, they were subject to a lot of scrutiny. Since then, however, the area has proven to be a popular place for locals to get together. For example, people often gather there to watch major events on a big screen.
It’s important to note that the building changes won’t be for at least a few years. The current tenants include the Koorie Heritage Trust, which still has four to five years on its lease, and an Italian restaurant called Il Pom.
The new store would be Apple’s fourth in Melbourne, but it would be its first stand-alone flagship store in the city. For the Melbourne-based, Apple’s other stores are found in the Chadstone Shopping Centre, as well as in Doncaster and Southland. In total, Apple has 22 retail store in Australia.
Apple has been looking for a central location in Melbourne for more than a decade now, but the requirements are often so strict that it’s been difficult for the company to find a good match.
