Name of Apple Store Changing

It's called Apple, not the Apple Store. The Cupertino, California company has decreed that its chain of retail stores will now only be referred to thusly in what seems to be part of an ongoing attempt to rebrand its stores from shopping destinations to community gathering places. Apple's new flagship store in downtown San Francisco opened as simply "Apple Union Square" in May, and now, the company's website shows, many other stores, like "Apple Fifth Avenue"and "Apple World Trade Center," are following suit and losing the "Store."

Total Retail's Take: This latest move from Apple fits with its companywide preference for simplistic branding. Furthermore, Apple wants consumers to view its brick-and-mortar locations as more than just places where they can buy product. The company is positioning its physical locations as places where communities can gather for more than just commerce, including workshops and lectures. Making retail stores a destination, not just for Apple but all retailers, is smart business in an age where more and more consumers are going online to shop.