The first Apple Stores were originally opened as two locations in May 2001 by then-CEO Steve Jobs, after years of attempting but failing store-within-a-store concepts.

A May 2016 report with an anonymous retail employee highlighted a hostile work environment with harassment from customers, intense internal criticism, and a lack of significant bonuses for securing major business contracts.

[20][21] During his tenure, it was reported that while Johnson was responsible for site selection, in-store service, and store layout, inventory was controlled by then-COO and now-CEO Tim Cook, who has a background in supply chain management.

[23] However, after attempts to cut costs, including reducing new hires and limiting staff hours, he was fired after six months, later telling a conference that he "just didn't fit with the way they ran the business".

In an interview with Funke Mediengruppe in May 2021 she commented, Apple is sticking to its plan to open more stores around the globe in the future, as reported by Bloomberg.

[29] Due to the popularity of the brand, applicants for jobs at Apple Stores are numerous, with many young workers applying.

[32] According to an April 2022 press release, over 70 percent of the eligible employees in the Apple Store located in the Cumberland Mall in Atlanta, Georgia, have signified interest in unionizing.

According to his biographer Walter Isaacson, Jobs began a concerted campaign to help sales by improving the retail presentation of Macintosh computers.

This "provided a powerful profit motive to convert customers interested in buying a Mac into the owners of a new, cheaply assembled, house brand PC".

Jobs severed Apple's ties with every big box retailer, including Sears, Montgomery Ward, Best Buy, Circuit City, Computer City, and Office Max to focus its retail efforts with CompUSA—which reached an agreement to establish dedicated departments for Apple hardware, staffed by trained employees and representatives.

Apple also worked with local user groups to promote launch events for new hardware and Mac OS releases.

Jobs made an open statement to Michael Dell, "with our new products and our new store and our new build-to-order, we're coming after you, buddy."

[65][66] The "store within a store" approach still had shortcomings; acting as a mystery shopper, Macworld writer David Pogue observed that all but one of the locations he visited had employees who actively steered him towards Windows PCs and attacked Macs (such as claiming they did not have software available); the company's PR director Suzanne Shelton stated that finding "specialized" talent was difficult.

"[67] In August 2015, Apple revamped the online storefront, removing the dedicated "Store" tab and making the entire website a retail experience.

Then-CEO Steve Jobs said that "People haven't been willing to invest this much time and money or engineering in a store before", adding that "It's not important if the customer knows that.

[30] Under the leadership of Ron Johnson, the former senior Vice President of Retail Operations, the Apple Stores have, according to an article in The New York Times, been responsible for "[turning] the boring computer sales floor into a sleek playroom filled with gadgets".

[79] Authorized Apple resellers have a dedicated store-within-a-store section, offering a distinctive Apple-style experience to showcase products.

[62][81] In an interview with Funke Mediengruppe in May 2021 Deirdre O'Brien commented, "Apple is sticking to its plan to open more stores around the globe in the future.

[82] Apple Stores have considerably changed the landscape for consumer electronics retailers and influenced other technological companies to follow suit.

"[84] In October 2009, reports surfaced that Steve Jobs and his retail team would help "drastically overhaul" Disney Stores.

His involvement was described by The New York Times as "particularly notable", given his work on the "highly successful" Apple Stores and his election to Disney's board of directors in 2006.

[87] Many other electronics retailers from around the world such as Huawei, Samsung, Xiaomi started to follow the designing trend of Apple Store.

[citation needed] In May 2016, Apple significantly redesigned its Union Square Apple Store in downtown San Francisco, adding large glass doors for the entry, open spaces with touch-sensitive tables and shelves for product displays, and rebranded rooms for the store.

"The Forum" features a large video screen and offers game nights, sessions with experts in creative arts, and community events.

"The Plaza", while limited to select locations, offers a "park-like" space outside the store featuring free 24/7 Wi-Fi access and will host live concerts on some weekends.

[97] All Apple Stores feature a Genius Bar, where customers can receive technical advice or set up service and repair for their products.

[106] The opening of Apple Michigan Avenue was attended by Tim Cook and Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner, among hundreds of others.