Apple Proposes New Block-Long Retail Store in Portland, Oregon - MacRumorsOpen MenuShow RoundupsShow Forums menuVisit ForumsOpen Sidebar
Skip to Content

Apple Proposes New Block-Long Retail Store in Portland, Oregon

by

portland pioneer place elevation
ifoAppleStore reports that architects quite obviously working for Apple have put forward a design proposal for a new retail store at the Pioneer Place shopping center in downtown Portland, Oregon. Replacing a typical mall-style store inside the center, the new store would cover the length of a city block and at 165 feet would carry the longest storefront in Apple's retail store chain.

According to the Design Advice Request submitted by two architects from Apple’s architectural firm Bohlin Cywinski Jackson, the Apple store would have a 165-foot storefront, a 17½-foot tall interior and over 9,000 square-feet of public space. A notation on one drawing indicates the “gross square footage” of the entire project is 23,532, and the plaza totals 4,283 square-feet.

Currently, the widest storefront is George Street (Sydney) at 120 feet. This proposed store would be 45 feet wider than that. The elevation drawing shows that the storefront is composed of 22 glass panels, each 17½ feet tall and 7½ feet wide.

portland pioneer place floor plan
The lengthy storefront and the ten-foot wide public plaza fronting the space would give the store a significant presence at the shopping center, with ample space for pedestrian circulation inside and out.

Top Rated Comments

mrxak Avatar
188 months ago
Apple does a lot of research before they put their stores in. If they're building one this large, they must know they can fill it. Apple isn't Starbucks, carpet-bombing cities with a store on every block hoping to do enough business, they pick and choose their locations very carefully to ensure each one is profitable. Apple Stores have some of the best return on square footage around.

It's not a matter of quantity of product lines, it's a matter of quantity of people wanting to see those product lines.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
188 months ago
All to house Apple's 5 products no less. A museum of waste.
Portland is always talking their "Human Scale" and "Walkable small blocks".
I am referring to the downtown core. I lived in Portland for some years in the 90's. They are very small. Maybe 30 paces math man.,

Um, I think it's more to accommodate the foot traffic. Visitor who come to Portland for tax-free shopping excursions are most likely to go to the downtown location. A visible street-level store will probably drive even more shoppers. Good for the neighborhood stores as well as Apple.

For this to be waste, there would have to be a much better alternative use of this space. What's your proposal?
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
188 months ago
I heard Portland is getting a Gateway Country Store soon as well.

THE DREAM OF THE 90's IS ALIVE IN PORTLAND!
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
188 months ago
Honestly they need it. Because that's the first store over the border from Washington, it is really really really really crowded. Actually alot of people even just visiting buy from there because there's no taxes on anything in Portland. So you save like 200 plus on MacBooks and stuff which lets you get accessories for free
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
188 months ago
Portland city blocks are half the size of normal big city blocks. So it should not be seen as HUGE. Get's a good headline though. 10-20 paces clears a block in PDX.


However, as reference points,the standard square blocks of Portland, Houston and Sacramento are 260 by 260 feet (79 × 79 m), 330 by 330 feet (100 × 100 m) and 410 by 410 feet (120 × 120 m) respectively (to the street center line). (However, as reference points,the standard square blocks of Portland, Houston and Sacramento are 260 by 260 feet (79 × 79 m), 330 by 330 feet (100 × 100 m) and 410 by 410 feet (120 × 120 m) respectively (to the street center line).)

Granted on average PDX blocks are not on the largest side of "city blocks", I would like to see you clear one in 10 to 20 paces.

This would still be the widest Apple store to date.
"Currently, the widest storefront is George Street (Sydney) at 120 feet. This proposed store would be 45 feet wider than that."http://www.ifoapplestore.com/db/2012/02/28/apple-proposes-spectacular-store-for-portland/ (http://www.ifoapplestore.com/db/2012/02/28/apple-proposes-spectacular-store-for-portland/)

So this would be a wide store in when talking Apple Stores.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
188 months ago
I heard Portland is getting a Gateway Country Store soon as well.

THE DREAM OF THE 90's IS ALIVE IN PORTLAND!

As a Portlander, I take complete offense to your statement. I'd much rather see a collaboration between Packard Bell and Prodigy than a Gateway store. ;)
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

Apple Event Logo

Apple Working on All-New Operating System

Wednesday July 29, 2026 11:39 am PDT by
Apple is developing an all-new operating system that is essentially a mix of tvOS, watchOS, and iOS, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In a report this week, he said the operating system will feature a grid of icons, widgets, and apps, along with customizable clock faces. The new software platform is intended for Apple's long-rumored smart home hub. With built-in facial recognition,...
imac video apple feature

Apple Made Its Second-Biggest Acquisition Ever This Year

Wednesday July 29, 2026 12:03 pm PDT by
Apple this year acquired Israeli startup Q.ai for close to $2 billion, according to the Financial Times. That would make this Apple's second-biggest acquisition ever, after it paid $3 billion for the popular headphone maker Beats in 2014. This is also the largest known Apple acquisition since the company purchased Intel's smartphone modem business and patents for $1 billion in 2019. Q.ai...
Dynamic Island iPhone 18 Pro Feature

iPhone 18 Pro: Twelve Changes Coming to Apple's Next Flagship

Thursday July 30, 2026 3:43 am PDT by
We're less than two months out from the launch of Apple's premium next-generation smartphone lineup, and while we're not expecting a dramatic change in terms of functionality, there are still several enhancements rumored to be coming to the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. One thing worth noting is that Apple is reportedly planning a major change to its iPhone release cycle this year,...

🔗 Related Apple News & Rumors

Stay updated with the latest Apple ecosystem news and verified rumors