MUMBAI — With much fanfare, Apple today opened its first official retail store in India after years of planning and several delays caused by the pandemic. Apple’s CEO Tim Cook attended the official opening to greet Indian enthusiasts as they eagerly explored the new store, highlighting the opening’s significance.
The opening of this store represents Apple’s most significant retail push in the South Asian country. Apple has found in India a country that serves as an alternative to China, both for its sales potential and manufacturing relevance.
The flagship store is in the heart of Mumbai at the Bandra Kurla Complex in the Jio World Drive mall, a luxurious establishment housing over 72 lifestyle brands from across the world and over 30 restaurants offering a variety of cuisines. Jio World Drive also hosts plenty of events, which invites foot traffic. Bandra Kurla Complex is home to some prominent offices.
With the barricade lifted, Apple BKC boasts a two-story store with room for product display, Genius Bar, and a dedicated Today at Apple area. Apple BKC is Apple’s flagship store, the likes of Fifth Avenue Apple in NYC, London’s Regent Street store, and Milan’s Piazza Liberty store, which shows in the way it is designed.
Apple BKC celebrates Apple’s vision for creativity and India’s craftsmanship with beautiful architectural elements in the store. The two stone walls have been imported from Rajasthan, and the unique timber roof stretches out as a canopy over the glass facade. There are 1,000 tiles on the top; each made of 408 pieces of timber. The staircase leading up to the cantilevered mezzanine is a 14-meter-tall piece of stainless steel.
The store has listed some Today at Apple sessions for photography, videography, music, design, and product-centered sessions. To mark the new store’s opening and celebrate the city as the center of art, an installation called Mumbai Rising by Thukral and Tagra, artists famous for their innovative, medium-spanning storytelling, will run from April 18 to May 25.
Apple BKC’s 100 employees speak 20 languages and will be helping customers select products, help them with the Trade-In program, and even guide them about financing options.
Apple reportedly had plans to open official stores in India as early as 2020, but the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in multiple pushbacks. Earlier this year, Apple began hiring staff for the Mumbai store and the Apple Saket Store in New Delhi, which will open on April 20.
Along with the new stores, Apple is ramping up production in the country as it looks to move away from China. The company lobbied for the state of Karnataka to reform Labor Law that allows 12-hour shifts, enabling double-shift production in Foxconn’s new manufacturing plant. Apple also exported around $5 billion worth of smartphones made in India last year.
Stay tuned to Supercharged for more updates from the opening day of Apple BKC.
