The brief reads, “A confidential source has tipped Auistinist off on a new Apple store possibly opening in the Scarborough building on Congress and 6th. Could it be true? Let’s look at the facts: An Apple logo sign was seen being loaded into the building. The windows are covered with black plywood, assuring complete privacy. Apple often leans towards interesting / historical spaces. Check! The iPad 2 comes out the same day SXSW starts, coincidence? It might be a pop-up store, seeing as the space is less square footage than is usually required. If it does turn out to be true, you heard it here first!”
Why should you care?
If you’re a commercial agent, you should care that Apple is moving in stealth. Apple is a trend setter in the tech world and elsewhere with several companies mimicking Apple’s retail patterns. Some directly copy their every move from their location’s required median income to their tenant improvement budgets.
If you’re a residential agent, you should care that average consumers understand this brief, can speculate in an educated manner, and are actually watching what is happening in various aspects of real estate. They’re not as clueless as many agents think.
As any type of real estate professional, it is interesting to watch what companies are doing, particularly when in stealth mode as Apple appears to be. If retail is closing all around you, the pinch will soon be felt, but if big boxes are popping up all over the place, the pendulum is swinging up.
It might shock you, but consumers are actually excited about many real estate topics, not just Apple related, and not just retail.
