Apple Ginza

Apple Ginza (Japanese: Apple 銀座) is an Apple Store located in Tokyo, Japan. It opened for business in 2003 as Apple's 73rd retail store (its first in Japan), and is internally identified as R079. However, among existing stores still open as of 2022, it has since moved up to become the 71st oldest as 2 other preceding stores had closed over the years.Apple Tokyo Store To Open November 30 by Apple Computer, Inc., MacRumors. 2004-11-04.Apple Storefronts: #72 Ginza by Thomas Park, AppSpot. 2011-09-24. Archived 2011-11-10.Apple Storefronts: #71 Ginza R079 by Thomas Park, AppSpot. 2022-09-24.
==Location==
This Apple Store is presently situated at Hulic & New Ginza 8, 9-7 Ginza 8-Chome, Chuo-ku (東京都中央区銀座8-9-7), in Tokyo, Japan. It is normally open from 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. daily. However, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the hours were temprarily changed to 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
==History==
The location was first opened as Apple Store Ginza within the upscale shopping district of Tokyo on November 30, 2003, becoming the first Apple retail store in Japan and outside of the United States. It was originally situated at Sayegusa Honkan, 5-12, Ginza 3-Chome, Chuo-ku (東京都中央区銀座3-5-12 サヱグサビル本館) and featured 5 floors of shopping space, a 27-foot-long Genius Bar, and an 84-seat theater.Apple’s First Retail Store in Japan Opens in Tokyo This Sunday, Apple Computer. 2003-11-27. Apple CEO Tim Cook personally visited the location in December 2019.Apple's first Apple Store in Japan will be demolished in late 2022 by William Gallagher, AppleInsider. 2022-05-06.
===Incidents===
The store was briefly closed in December 2015 due to an anonymous bomb threat, causing the cancellation of a promotional event with Japanese film director ().Ginza Apple Store calls off promotional event in wake of bomb threat by Roger Fingas, AppleInsider. 2015-12-07.
On March 14, 2020, the store was closed due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.Apple to close US retail stores and all others outside China until March 27th by Chris Welch, The Verge. 2020-03-14. It was reopened on June 3, 2020, but with limited service in observance of health precautions.Update: Over 100 US stores open this week by Michael Steeber, 9to5Mac. 2020-05-26.
===Relocation===
The original location's last day of business was August 28, 2022 as the entire 8-story Sayegusa building, which houses the store within its bottom floors, was scheduled to begin demolition in September 2022 to make way for new construction.Apple 銀座, Apple Inc. Archived 2022-08-28.
Two days later on August 30, 2022, the Apple Ginza store re-opened nearby in a new building of which the majority of the 12 stories were occupied by Apple, with the remainder used by medical tenants. Hulic had acquired the land in 2018 and completed construction of the building in October 2021.Apple Store finds new location in Ginza by Zoe Ward, Japan Property Central. 2022-08-26. The new building features a fire-resistant and eco-friendly design incorporating wood, steel, and concrete. It is also designed to withstand earthquakes of at least magnitude 7 on the .Apple Ginza in Tokyo opening in new eco-friendly building on Aug. 30 by Mike Peterson, AppleInsider. 2022-08-23.
==References==
==External links==
*Apple 銀座 at Apple (Japanese)
**Apple Store Ginza (English, archived 2004-08-08)
Category:Apple Stores in Japan
Category:2003 establishments