# Apple's first retail stores

> Apple reported $599,000 in sales at its first stores over their opening weekend.

- Owner: Apple
- Kind: Campaign
- Sector: Retail
- Seed date: 2001-05-19
- Milestone date: Week of May 20, 2001
- Date basis: Documented milestone; not a measured attention peak. Dates use the stated precision; chart positions are date anchors.
- Spread Score: 43 (Notable, provisional), v1.2
- Mechanics: Identity badge, Scarcity drop, Controversy, Platform jump, Dupe economy

## Summary

Apple opened two stores with demonstrations and a Genius Bar, amid predictions of failure. Apple reported $599,000 in opening-weekend sales. Fans shared queue reports and traveled to later openings as the format spread to Japan and Europe.

## Timeline

- 2001-05-15 — Apple / Steve Jobs (Press) — Apple announced its first two stores and a plan to open 25 that year.
- 2001-05-19 — Apple (Retail) — Apple opened stores at Tysons Corner in McLean, Virginia, and Glendale Galleria in California.
- 2001-05-19 — MattWin2k and six.of.one / MacCentral forum (Open web) — MacCentral forum posters described the opening and a line that persisted after the doors opened.

The full timeline, metrics and sources are on the case page, or via the Pro API (https://howitspread.com/developers).

Canonical URL: https://howitspread.com/cases/apple-store-2001

Cite as: How It Spread (2026). “Apple's first retail stores.” Case HIS-01413. Spread Score v1.2: 43/100. Updated 2026-10-23. https://howitspread.com/id/HIS-01413