New mini Apple Stores

I buy a lot of stuff online and have it shipped, as most people probably do. I use BestBuy and Comp USA's order online and pick up at store option a lot too. No need for me to talk to anyone. I actually want to be in and out as quickly as possible without dealing with people. Often knowing what I want before going to a store, this is actually a cool idea in my mind. I'm a bit sick of mega-stores. If I need to talk to someone, then I'll chose to take a subway to the SOHO store. Otherwise, if I have a local mini, I'd opt for that. I love Home Depot's self check out (not Home Depot though). Not so much the grocery store's self check (Hate bagging). Anyway, I embrace the self-serve thing. I think this will work into the scheme of present day buying habits. I know I'd go. Even if to just quickly check stuff out. Could spark interest in products. I'm looking forward to the mini store.
 
I love the idea. But what about Custom orders? You'd have to talk to someone. ANd also, I wouldn't feel as secure about my purchase without talking to a staff member.
 
I don't know if you have DMV Expresses where you live, but in NYC you can take care of some things like updated drivers license, license plates and some other minor stuff very quickly at an Express DMV, but have to go to a full DMV for certain things like new licenses or if you're dealing with a suspended license. That's the only analogy I can think of. I'm sure there are better. Oh, Taco Bell and Taco Bell Express. Can't get everything at the Express, no Crunchy Gorditas, choco-taco or those hot apple things. And there's like 1 person taking orders and making. But they seem to work, I see them all over. I have a feeling the mini store will have its place.
 
The Express check out is for stuff like accessories and software.

and i don't really know if this is a good idea because some one can just pocket the small stuff and go (as i saw no anti-theft protection) so iDuno.

i will post some pictures of the Santa Rosa Mini store in a little bit when i upload them
 
I had mixed feelings about the Apple Stores when I lived in NYC. I bought 2 machines at Apple Stores in the NYC Metro Area(SoHo and one in Jersey), and I found that the service at the Genius Bar was uneven overall, but worth the extra tax cost of my Mac purchases. In several situations, though they stretched the literal interpretation of 'Genius', they did provide decent service once they realized they didn't have to talk in small words that I could easily understand. On the floor of the store and in their seminars, some of the information doled out was either blatantly wrong or horribly skewed to support Apple' corporate spiel. While I understand that this is what comes along with the 'Superstore' mentality in general, I was hoping that Apple would raise the bar when educating their own staff. When I moved to San Francisco almost two years ago, I was upset to learn that there wasn't an Apple Store here, and quickly grew to miss the convenience that their presence afforded me. The local Mac dealers and CompUsa were no substitute, and I was forced to drive 40 minutes away to an Apple Store when my iBook locked up. Though I think it's odd that Apple is going in the opposite direction as successful PC campaigns like Dell and Gateway in establishing more, rather than less retail footprint, it's clear that if they could keep more actual product in the Apple Stores, that this could be a winning strategy. That would start with a decent stocking of iPod Minis at these new 'mini stores'...or perhaps a high speed iTunes download area with a credit card swiper...
 
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