The Apple Store at Briarwood Mall in Ann Arbor, Michigan, is set to relocate to a larger spot inside the same mall at the end of July, in a move that will expand a storefront that’s long been among Apple’s smallest.
The Apple Store at Briarwood Mall in Ann Arbor. Michigan. won’t stay tucked into its current small footprint for long. It’s set to move to a larger space within the same shopping center at the end of July—an upgrade that changes the feel of a location that has been unusually tight even by Apple retail standards.
Mark Gurman, writing in Sunday’s “Power On” newsletter for Bloomberg, says the store will shift to a much bigger area within the mall. The move could begin as early as the end of July, though the details of the new location weren’t revealed.
For now, the Briarwood Apple store’s layout reflects just how compact it is. Apple’s image of the space shows a very simple, mall-style box with four tables running down the length of the store. At the end is a Genius Bar, backed by a selection of shelves.
That small size may be exactly why the upgrade matters. Despite being one of the smallest Apple outlets in its retail empire, the Briarwood store is reportedly highly trafficked. Close to the University of Michigan. it draws heavy foot traffic from nearby students. turning a space that looks modest on the map into one that stays busy in practice.
The transition will be a rare kind of retail transformation: not a new store or a brand-new brand experience, but a relocation inside the same mall—one that promises to give a crowded, student-fueled storefront room to breathe.
Apple Store Briarwood Mall Ann Arbor University of Michigan retail upgrade Genius Bar
Bout time, that place was tiny.
So is it closing for good or just moving around inside the mall? I swear half the time those Apple stores feel like a hallway already. End of July right?
Wait Genius Bar is “backed by shelves” like it’s not always been that way lol. Also I don’t get why they don’t just expand the whole mall instead. If it’s “highly trafficked” then why was it ever the smallest Apple shop.
Students at UMich always flood Briarwood so I’m not surprised they need more room. But Apple already charges enough… now they can charge you to stand in line somewhere else. I probably won’t even notice the change, just hope the layout is less cramped when I go in for repairs.