While closed to customers, the store has been continuously updated and used for operations behind the scenes. Even as other retailers struggle, Apple has continued to pour significant resources into the flagship store over the past few years, an indicator of the company’s dedication to remaining in downtown Portland. The store has been open just three days total since COVID-19 gripped the US, fewer than any other location.Ī litany of unfortunate events and coincidental timing kept the store closed during large portions of 2019, 2020, and 2021 so far. It’ll be the first time the store is open to customers in 267 days.Īpple Store openings and closures have become routine due to health conditions over the past year, but Apple Pioneer Place is a special case. Follow 9to5Mac’s retail guide for in-depth coverage of the latest Apple Store news.Apple Pioneer Place in Portland, Oregon will reopen this coming Monday, February 22 at 11:00 a.m., according to a message posted by Apple. If you attend a store opening, spot something interesting, or attend a great Today at Apple session, we’d love to see your photos. It’s reasonable to expect that Apple could line up performances and exclusive events here in the future, too. One of the first sessions held after reopening was a brand new portrait photography lab co-created with photographer Christopher Anderson. Pioneer Place is the first Apple Store in Oregon to offer the full Today at Apple experience. Of course, the star of the show in the remodeled space is creative sessions. A pair of leather benches has been added just inside the front doors for even more seating. The Grove’s layout should insulate it from the majority of foot traffic and Forum noise in other parts of the store. A first for any store, the Apple TV Avenue at Pioneer Place has added windowed drawers below each television for product storage.įurthest from the front doors, Apple has capped both ends of the store with Genius Groves for service and support. Two stainless steel doors - one leading to the store’s new Boardroom - are the only vestiges of a past life. The line between the old and new is nearly imperceptible. The store’s rear wall is stone, so new blocks of the same material with a matching hue and texture were weaved in where necessary. Photos courtesy of Paul Yeo.Īcross the rear wall of the store, Apple removed inset tables, graphic panels, and accessory shelves to add the video wall and Avenues.

Apple Pioneer Place represents one of the most graceful renovations to date, almost seamlessly integrating new design elements to create a space that looks just as contemporary as new construction. These upgrades have offered interesting design challenges, as Apple is tasked with blending the iconic architecture often found in its most significant stores with design ideas developed more recently. Each remodeling project added a video wall, a Forum with seating and trees, and Avenues - Apple’s name for modular display cases that offer interactive demos and seasonal changes. Around the world, some of Apple’s most significant “classic” stores have transitioned into a new era of retail design and community-first experiences over the last twelve months.

May 31st marked the store’s grand reopening and the start of a renewed focus on Today at Apple sessions in Portland. Downtown’s Apple Pioneer Place was actually built in 2014, but two months of renovation work have given it a fresh look that measures up to Apple’s latest and greatest designs. If you visit Portland, Oregon today, you’d be forgiven for thinking that a brand new Apple Store just opened.

Apple pioneer place portland