Apple to Open Retail Outlets Within 25 Target Stores in 2012

[Maura]

AppleInsider reports today that Apple is planning to open new “store-within-a-store” retail outlets in Target stores in the US this year in order to expand its retail arm further into smaller metropolitan areas. AppleInsider says that according to sources familiar with Apple’s plans, Apple will open 25 Apple-branded retail areas within bigger Target stores in areas in which a standalone Apple store would not normally be considered financially viable. Opening in just 25 out of Target’s 1752 stores is quite a small undertaking to begin with, but presumably if it works well and Apple is pleased with the results of the venture, more outlets will be opened. As AppleInsider points out, Apple already has a similar arrangement with Best Buy, with “store-within-a-store” outlets in 600 Best Buy stores. Apple previously had similar partnerships with Sears, Circuit City, Computer City and Office Max, but AppleInsider notes that these were discontinued by Apple when it decided to concentrate on its own retail stores, and also to focus on the now defunct CompUSA.

Source: AppleInsider | Apple to open new store-within-a-store outlets inside Target this year