In the past, standalone Apple flagship retail stores typically had the best retail experiences while mall based Apple stores tended to be cramped and crowded. The Apple Store in Stoneridge Shopping Center in Pleasanton, CA, showed off their new look and the future of Apple mall retail just in time for the 2016 holiday season.
Gone are the window displays, creating a much more open and inviting entrance into the store.
There is a lot more floor space making it a lot less cramped inside compared to the past. In the back of the store are a bunch of movable seat blocks, creating a classroom type feel.
There also seem to be less third party non-Apple products being displayed compared to the past, reducing the clutter in the store.
Another way Apple reduces crowding in the store especially during the holidays is by having people line up outside the store if that want to make any purchases or do a pickup.
The new Apple Store look is a big improvement from the past where the crowds and number of stressed out people crammed together trying to get help was creating a less than relaxing retail experience.