Apple retail chief Angela Ahrendts this week announced that the iPhone maker's upcoming store along the Chicago River opens Friday, October 20.
Apple's new Chicago River store via MacRumors reader David Sexton
The two-floor store will be located on North Michigan Avenue, near the historic Michigan Avenue Bridge, along the river's north bank. The flagship location will feature glass walls and a carbon fiber roof, which at one point had a white Apple logo on it, making it look like a giant MacBook Air when viewed from above.
Apple has removed its logo from the roof as of late August, and it's unclear if it will be added back at some point.
The store was designed by Apple's longtime architectural partner Foster + Partners, and pays homage to architect Frank Lloyd Wright's Prairie Style homes in Chicago. Based on plans from 2015, the building spans 20,000 square feet and replaces a vacant food court. Construction has been ongoing for over a year.
A lengthy staircase leads from street level to a walkway in front of the store. The building will also be accessible via elevator.
Ahrendts, speaking at Apple's first-ever event at the Steve Jobs Theater on Tuesday, also said Apple's iconic Fifth Avenue store in Manhattan will reopen late next year. She said the glass cube at street level will eventually be reinstalled, and the lower level will be greatly expanded with a new design.
Ahrendts said Apple's retail stores collectively welcome over 500 million visitors per year. Apple has 497 stores around the world.
Apple's nearby store at 679 North Michigan Avenue opened in July 2003. It will permanently close on October 20.
Update: Apple has announced that its retail store at The Summit in Reno, Nevada will be relocating to a new location within the shopping center on Saturday, September 16 at 10:00 a.m. local time. The new location will presumably be larger and updated with Apple's newer store design. (Thanks, Storeteller!)
Shouldn't you be calling them "Town Squares" instead of "Stores" now?
I hate that name. It's such a consulting business / private equity owned business term, that follows with "town hall meetings". I get that Angela is trying to better describe the fact that Apple is more than just a retailer, but they're definitely not a town and their stores, which is what they are, are not town squares.
Shouldn't you be calling them "Town Squares" instead of "Stores" now?
Yeah, "We actually don't call them stores anymore, we call them town squares, because they're gathering places."
So, better put in a water fountain or a bar or something. And I ain't sittin' long on those wood boxes! Seriously, there are more comfortable "gathering places" in Singapore International baggage claim area than in any Apple TS I've been in.
It's great seeing how far architectural aesthetics has come. Apple Stores couldn't look more metallic and closed off when they first opened 16 years ago.
This environment is beautiful, and the Milan "store" looks even more impressive.
Tuesday September 22, 2026 12:42 pm PDT by Joe Rossignol
Following renovations, the Apple Park Visitor Center in Cupertino, California no longer features a 3D augmented reality model of the Apple Park campus.
The area that housed the 3D model, which was called the Exhibition Space, now has wall-mounted shelves known as "Avenues" and new, rounder tables for product displays.
The remodeling process began in July and was completed recently.
Appl ...
Friday September 18, 2026 5:42 am PDT by Joe Rossignol
Starting today, many if not all Apple Stores around the world have received a new "hello" decoration somewhere in the store for the purposes of testing iPhone camera zoom.
Like the iPhone 17 Pro models, the new iPhone 18 Pro models that launched today offer up to 8× optical...
Friday September 18, 2026 1:00 am PDT by Tim Hardwick
Apple's new iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max models are now being delivered to customers worldwide following the pre-order period that began on Saturday, September 12. For those who didn't pre-order, there's now a 3-4 week wait time for iPhone 18 Pro Max models across all storage options and colorways in the U.S. Demand has been less strong for iPhone 18 Pro models, but you're still looking at ...
Apple's first foldable iPhone, with a book-style design featuring a 5.4-inch outer display and a 7.6-inch inner display with a minimal crease down the middle.
Top Rated Comments
So, better put in a water fountain or a bar or something. And I ain't sittin' long on those wood boxes! Seriously, there are more comfortable "gathering places" in Singapore International baggage claim area than in any Apple TS I've been in.
Fair point. I've changed Iconic to Beautiful in the headline.
This environment is beautiful, and the Milan "store" looks even more impressive.