The Covent Garden (London) store will hold its grand opening on Saturday, August 7th at 10 a.m., revealing the largest and most expensive store in Apple’s chain, and arguably the chain’s most amazing interior. The store occupies an 1870s building that has been restored and renovated, while retaining most of the original architecture and interior design features. It includes stone from a quarry in Wales, a spiral glass staircase and the usual wood display tables. The retail space will occupy parts of three levels, while Apple corporate offices will occupy the upper floors. The building faces onto one of London’s most impressive and busy squares, with a mix of tourists, locals, street vendors and entertainers. It’s the fifth Apple store in the city, and is about one mile from the existing Regent Street store.

Tips about an Apple store along Walnut Street in downtown Philadelphia (Penn.) first surfaced in 2004. But perhaps like the company’s real estate team, the tipsters could never pinpoint an exact location until mid-2009. Now one of the longest-running store projects is over, and the Walnut Street store will open this Friday at 5 p.m. Located about 10 blocks from historic Independence Hall, the new store at 1607 Walnut Street will fill in coverage previously provided by suburban Pennsylvania and New Jersey stores. The store features an impressive, two-level stone façade, but standard interior design features.

A passerby’s photograph of the future Covent Garden (London) store shows that Apple has retained the original brick of the interior, but added stone to the floor beneath the usual wood display tables. The peek looks straight through the construction barricade doorway, to the rear of the ground floor. There is a wheelbarrow and scissor-lift in view, along with plywood protecting some portions of the stone floor. Most visible are the brick walls forming a small alcove, and the overhead lighting fixtures that appear to be unique among Apple’s existing stores. The lighting in the photo makes the brick look more red than it really is. Photos of the original interior show the bricks are a very light tan color. The tall store entrance door is set back from the building façade, beneath a portico of stone arches (left in photo). Tipsters still say the store will open July 31st.

Apple’s retail stores across the United States have ramped up staffing for today and the weekend, anticipating a flood of people asking for iPhone 4 case refunds. Many employees will reportedly work 12-hours shifts to provide coverage, overtime is available for full-timers, and part-time workers are being offered additional hours. Today the company released information about obtaining free iPhone 4 cases, which solves the reception problems of the new handset. Those who already purchased a case using a credit card are being automatically refunded with a credit to their credit card account. But Apple has instructed those who used cash or an Apple gift card to, “return to the store with your receipt to get your refund.” Based on the number of iPhone 4 handsets sold, and percentage of case buyers and cash users, that instruction could send up to 120,000 additional visitors into the stores seeking refunds. However, Apple anticipates that thousands more visitors will mistakenly appear at the stores to claim the free case the company is offering early iPhone 4 buyers (it’s only available on-line and via mail), and to request a credit card refund (it’s being done automatically).

Apple’s retail stores posted record revenues and profits during the third quarter of 2010, following the company’s overall record revenues of $15.7 billion and profit of $3.25 billion. The stores also hosted a record 60.9 million visitors, over 20 percent higher than the previous record set in last year’s holiday quarter. That huge increase was generated by the high-profile introductions of the iPad and iPhone 4, but also from increased Mac sales. The stores posted revenues of $2.58 billion, up 73 percent from the same quarter of 2009, and up a substantial 31 percent from the previous record. Profits generated by the retail stores totaled $593 million, about 23 percent above the previous record set in Q1 2010. Proving that computers are still a major part of Apple’s sales, the company sold a record 3.47 million Mac computers, while the retail stores sold 677,000 Macs, not a new record. Average per-store revenues during the quarter were $9.0 million, up 27 percent from the previous record 0f $7.1 million. About one-half of Macintosh sales at the stores during the quarter were to new-to-Mac customers. Apple CFO Peter Oppenheimer said the company will open 24 stores during the current quarter, including the first two stores in Spain, within shopping centers in Madrid and Barcelona. Check the charts and graphs for more information.

With Apple opening one-half of its new retail stores in locations outside the United States this year, it’s rare for two stores to open in the U.S. in one weekend. Yet that’s what will happen Saturday when the Fayette Mall (Lexington, Ken.) and Polaris Fashion Place (Columbus, Ohio) stores both open at 10 a.m. The Kentucky store is the state’s second, and puts Apple in the midst of horse racing territory. The Polaris store is the city’s second, both on the northside and about 10 miles from each other. A third store on Walnut Street in Philadelphia was scheduled to open this Friday, but for some reason was delayed one week to July 30th.

Workers are completing the final steps of preparation for the future Covent Garden (London) store, including the delivery of the wood product display tables. By all accounts, the store is scheduled for a July 31st grand opening and will be among the most spectacular in the chain. Like the just-opened Opéra (Paris) store, many of the vintage building’s features have been carefully preserved and restored, and will appear in place of Apple’s traditional building materials. Very recent photos show crates of wood tables and counters arriving on a truck, and of crews opening the crates to reveal the tables in front of the store. Both sides of the Apple store are still covered with a construction barricade, which is wrapped in a plastic material printed with a red velvet curtain. An Apple logo peeks through the curtain at the front of the building.

In perhaps a preview of the company’s financials to be announced next week, Steve Jobs revealed during today’s press conference on the iPhone 4 antenna issue that the retail stores hosted over 60 million visitors during the most recent quarter, a new record. The number surpasses the previous record of 50.9 million visitors set in the first quarter of 2010 by about 18 percent, and is substantially more than the 47 million visitors of the previous quarter. After a fairly technical explanation of the iPhone antenna issue, Jobs concluded the press conference by committing the company to making every iPhone user happy. “We love our users,” Jobs said passionately. “We love our users so much that we’ve built 300 Apple retail stores for them,” he said, “give them the best buying experience in the world, and more importantly, the best ownership experience in the world, with Genius Bars that cost nothing to come in and talk to people and get your products fixed, and get advice.” It was at that point that he noted the record number of store visitors. In connection with the antenna issue, Jobs also mentioned statistics on iPhone case purchases: Of those who purchased the iPhone 3GS from an Apple store, 80 percent also purchased a case with their phone. However, because of the new handset design, just 20 percent of iPhone 4 buyers purchased a case, he said. Apple will formally announce its financial results next Tuesday at 2 p.m. (PDT), including figures on retail store revenue and profit.

Faced with an every-increasing number of customers at its retail store Genius Bars, and in the face of on-going employee dissatisfaction about heavy workloads, tipsters say Apple will revise its operations to improve product repair service. Some of the changes, such as requiring the Genius staff to multitask with several customers, formalizes real-world conditions that have existed for years. Other changes, including the extension of Genius work hours until midnight, were made after pilot tests at several stores in each region, but have generated an additional round of employee complaints about staffing levels and workload. Specifically, tipsters to MacRumors and IFO say store management will more proactively monitor Genius Bar activity to insure a 30-minute service goal for both appointments made on-line via the Concierge reservation system, and for walk-in repair customers. Second, the Genius staff will be required to serve several customers at one time, speeding up the flow of repairs. And third, some of the more complex product repairs will be shifted from “while you wait” to overnight, and some of the Genius staff will begin working both before and after the store opening to complete these service requests.

The number of people with Apple computers increases every day, with about one-half of all Macintosh buyers at the retail stores being “new to Mac,” according to company executives. Based on financial reports, this means that at least 100,000 new Mac users are created each month from Apple retail stores purchases, and up to 1.1 million new-to-Mac users who purchased their computer from other sources worldwide.

This increase in customers has put a considerable strain on the staff of existing Genius Bars, ever since new store construction slowed following the 2008 economic downturn. In particular, the number of new U.S. stores has also slowed as Apple has focused retail expansion on international locations over the past two years. During calendar 2009, just 14 stores opened in the United States, compared to 30 stores in 2008 and 26 stores in 2007.

In addition, there have been persistent reports from store employees that the introduction of the iPad and iPhone 4 have exacerbated poor working conditions. Just two weeks ago, a tipster told IFO that the stores, “are working over full capacity.” The person said that, “Employees are unhappy but are unable to vent. Ron Johnson (Sr. V-P Retail) sent an email thanking everyone for there hard work, but it really doesn’t cut it.” As a result of the heavy workload, “Employees are stressed, overworked, and understaffed,” the tipster said. Similar remarks have been posted on-line by other persons claiming to be Apple retail store employees.

The Changes

Various changes to Genius Bar procedures were rolled out to test stores earlier this year. After several months, the stores’ management team and Geniuses were asked for their feedback on the changes, insiders say. After evaluating the pilot programs, Apple’s retail executives selected the most successful changes that balanced two factors: improved customer service and the workload of the Genius Bar staff.

In its report of the changes, MacRumors calls the first change “active queue management,” something that most store managers are already performing, insiders say. A key goal is to accommodate walk-in service customers, who frequently did not realize that a Genius Bar appointment is a routine requirement, yet who still expect prompt attention.

Despite being listed as an upcoming Genius Bar change, multi-tasking is an everyday requirement of any Genius, especially at larger stores. A store Genius has always been expected to begin work promptly, handle more than one customer at once, and to continue working until the end of shift in order to maximize the number of service visits. It’s not clear how this new policy will change these current work habits.

The expansion of Genius work hours may be the most significant change reported in this latest tip. Apple’s legendary quick service at the Genius Bars will change as more complex repairs will be moved to the “overnight” category. Customers who are used to while-you-wait repairs may find they have to return the next day—or later—to pick up their repaired product.

In turn, Geniuses will be asked to begin work three hours before their store opens, or to work until midnight to complete the increased number of overnight repairs. Tipsters say that no additional Geniuses will be hired to provide coverage for these repairs, and current employees weren’t consulted about the changes. On the other hand, the new work-late policy is in effect only two or three days a week at most stores, and affect only five or six Geniuses at each store.

The Genius Bar changes come just months after Genius Steve Camuti filed a lawsuit in California over being denied legally-required rest periods during the shift. The lawsuit says the company has a corporate pattern of conduct that has “for years” failed to provide 10-minute shift breaks, and failed to provide accurate and timely wage statements that “effectively shielded itself from its employees’ scrutiny for its unlawful conduct.”

As a result of the conduct, the lawsuit claims, “Apple has enjoyed a significant competitive edge over other businesses within the industry in which it operates.”

After nine years, Apple’s retail operation has changed considerably, including the original four job positions, which have changed, morphed, split and merged since 2001. Several job positions have also come and gone since 2001. Now, a new graphic tries to make sense of all the changes and to document a part of Apple Retail’s history—but it’s not complete or accurate. You can help make it more useful by providing specific years for job position additions and changes. Send me e-mail with your information to make the graphic accurate.

Check this larger version of the job position chart, and send me you revisions.

Scores of Apple enthusiasts have assembled in Shanghai (China) for Saturday morning’s grand opening of the Pudong retail store, and they’ve been allowed to use nearby empty space in the complex for protection against 80-degree heat and the possibility of thunderstorms overnight and during the day. Photos of the waiting line show many tents have been set up inside the space near the Apple store entrance. Many of those in line are working on their laptops. The arrangement is identical to the Sanlitun (Beijing) store grand opening, where the waiting line had an air-conditioned space and restrooms, and were supplied with bottled water by Apple’s retail team. The waiting line eventually spiraled around the glass cylinder, up the front steps and into a queue that extended along the adjacent sidewalk.

Thanks to myuibe on flickr for the photos of the waiting line, camped inside a space adjacent to the glass cylinder tower. Also view a Macenstein gallery of photos of the grand opening, which shows a queue of about 700 in line 30 minutes after the grand opening.

Just before the waiting line was admitted to the store, it appears there are about 400 people in line, with an equal number surrounding the plaza.

Notice that there is a shallow fountain surrounding nearly the entire perimeter of the glass tower. In the background is the iconic Oriental Pearl TV Tower, and not visible beyond that is the Hangpu River.

The iPhone 4 debut was Apple’s most successful retail store product launch ever, and now the company is rewarding the employees who worked on the launch day for their efforts. The company wasn’t able to give store employees a free iPhone 4 back in June because of severely constrained supplies of the smartphone. However, the company did allow employees to reserve an iPhone 4 in the days before the launch, and pay with their own money. Apparently that gesture wasn’t enough to stem some grumbling among store employees. Now, sources say, Apple will hand out $150 bonuses to those who worked at least 12 hours on iPhone launch day, which could presumably be used to help pay for a new iPhone. Like all work bonuses, the money is considered taxable and, depending upon an employee’s tax exemptions, could amount to less than $110 on a paycheck.

The first rumors of an Apple store in Greenville (SC) surfaced in 2007, but the company reportedly switched plans in 2008 with the economic slowdown in 2008. Now, finally, a retail store will open this Saturday at the Haywood Mall to serve the northwest region of the state . The store will be on the ground level facing next to Abercrombie & Fitch, drawing from a metro region that comes via Interstate 85. Until now, the state has been served only by the Charleston store along the coast.

In a dramatic unveiling, on Wednesday workers removed the red plastic curtain covering the unique cylindrical glass tower sitting over the future Pudong (Shanghai) retail store, revealing a spiral glass staircase to an underground retail space that is still invisible. Photos by Matthew all show the store from an aerial perspective, surrounded by two large skyscrapers and a substantial circular wall of concrete, which itself is ringed by gardens. The structure and concept of the glass cylinder is identical to the Fifth Avenue (NYC) glass cube, but obviously of different geometry. The Pudong store opens this Saturday at 10 a.m. Update: The first interior photos are posted at the Shanghaiist and on a flickr gallery.

Also see this flickr gallery taken later in the day, with views of the inside of the store.

This amazing view shows the plaza area beneath the International Finance Center and the Apple store location.

The suspended Apple logo, glass and connecting hardware is identical to the existing glass cube at the Fifth Avenue store.

Inside the cylinder is the wood-protected glass staircase that spirals down to the main retail floor beneath the plaza.

For a brief time, the black construction barricade hiding the future Walnut Street (Philadelphia) store was partially removed, and it became clear the store will both retain historic features and incorporate Apple’s modern storefront design. Several photos submitted to IFO show brand new windows on the upper level, in very small panes set between the decorative columns. One of the windows was missing, as workers apparently used it for construction access. On the ground level, the top seven feet of the barricade was missing, allowing a view of the storefront frame, which is now masonry. The opening itself spans the entire width of the building, suggesting a wide and tall glass storefront. It’s not clear if stainless steel will also appear on the storefront. Lastly, although there have been tips of a July grand opening, a recent photo of the interior shows considerable construction work still remains to be completed.

This view shows that substantial finishing work remains to be completed. The identify of two workers in the store is concealed in this photo.

Thanks to Steve and others for the photos.