Apple Is Planning To Construct New Retail Stores In Switzerland And France

As French magazine AixEnProvence.fr reports (via ifoAppleStore), Apple plans to build a new store in Aix-en-Provence in France. According to the renderings, a one-store building will be relatively small one compared to other Apple stores and will be constructed on a broad stone plaza. Apart from the tan-colored rear wall, the store will be entirily encompassed with transparent glass. A second rendering depicts the store with a fountain that is similar to the the Fifth Avenue plaza fountain in New York. Reports note that the new location could be open in the end of 2012 or in early 2013.

Meanwhile, Macprime.ch reports on Apple’s plans for building its first store in Basel, Switzerland. Recently the company modified its plans for the retail store to satisfy the requirements of planning officials. Late last year the former tenant vacated the store and now Apple is nearly ready to start construction on the new location, which would be the fourth Apple’s store in Switzerland.

The sales floor of the future store consisting of two levels measures at 460 square meters, with almost equal amount of space allocated for back-of-house operations such as a conference room and storage. According to schematics for the store, there will be a staircase in the rear part of the store for walking between the two store levels. The ground floor will host twelve display tables and the first floor will include several display tables and what seems to be a Genius Bar with 12 seats.

Considering that Apple will demolish the existing store to construct the new location, the store is unlikely to open until the next year.