Apple stores are great revenue generators in cities, writes Brian Caulfield, but not just as a one-off. Customers tend to come back for more products and repairs, and the stores themeslves encourage plenty of cross-shopping nearby.
"The computer stores have become ‘anchors' for affluent downtown areas, says Robert Gibbs, an urban economic and planning consultant and author of of 'Principles of Urban Retail Planning and Development.'
'Sports stadiums do not generate much cross shopping: they're nice to have but greatly overrated,' Gibbs says. 'If you have an Apple store on your Main Street, though, that gives you a kind of ‘good housekeeping seal of approval,' that's going to attract others.'
Gibbs figures Apple stores can boost traffic to nearby stores by 15 to 20%, sending affluent customers to nearby clothing stores, coffee shops, and book stores."
FULL STORY: Forget Stadiums, Cities Should Fight For Apple Stores
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Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
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American Planning Association, Sustainable Communities Division
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