The Apple Brompton Road will be only the third Apple Store to open in central London and the first since the remodelling of the Regent Street store in 2016. That makes this a pretty big deal for London and for Apple, so as you might expect, this is no run-of-the-mill shop.
No, Brompton Road is a voluminous space, with 7-metre floor-to-ceiling windows and full-sized Sicilian ficus trees reaching up to the curved timber ceiling. The central arcade mirrors the original Brompton Arcade from 1903, befitting the Knightsbridge location.
Set beneath this impressive spectacle are the familiar light-coloured wooden tables with Apple products to touch and try, from the iPhone 13 Pro to the MacBook Pro M2. There's also a dedicated forum space with a mirrored ceiling and a pickup area for online orders – a first for a UK store.
There's a big push on sustainability in the Brompton Road store. From the plant-based resin flooring to the curved timber in the ceiling. It is also run on 100% renewable energy.
As with so many of the flagship Apple locations, this feels much more than just a place to come and buy Apple products, and most visitors will come just to browse and try out the latest models, but also to learn more about them. I once sat to take a break in an Apple Store in Chicago and learned how to use the Clips app. Today there is a full programme of events, from photo tours and music labs, to live performances and special events.
This might be the 520th Apple Store in the world (and 39th in the UK) but it feels unique and as sensational as I hoped it would be. Apple Brompton Road opens from Thursday 28th July at 4pm.
