Apple has revealed that its debut Apple store in Taiwan will officially open on Saturday, July 1.

The store’s regular opening hours will be Sunday through Thursday from 11am to 9.30pm, and Friday and Saturday from 11am to 10pm. It is located in Taiwan’s Taipei 101 skyscraper, the iconic supertall skyscraper in Xinyi District, Taipei, which was the world’s tallest building until it was overtaken by the Burj Khalifa in Dubai in 2009.

Tim Cook recently confirmed that the store would open when he took to Twitter to announce that, “Here comes Apple Taipei 101, our first store in Taiwan.” However, he didn’t announce an official opening date. Last year, Apple started quietly recruiting staff for the store, including positions for “store leader,” “expert,” “manager” and “Genius.”

To celebrate the opening, Apple recruited a local “paper cutting” artist named Yang Shiyi to create a large mural which covers the protective barriers outside the store, which have yet to be removed. This is reminiscent of what Apple has done with Apple stores in China, such as West Lake in Hangzhou, for whose opening Apple hired famous calligrapher Wang Dongling to create a giant mural.

As I noted then, it’s a great nod to tradition, while also managing to be quintessentially Apple in spirit.

Apple’s Taipei 101 store is already accepting reservations for instructional sessions, as well as Genius Bar appointments. Up until now, customers in the country have only been able to buy Apple products from third-party retailers like Studio A and Data Express.

Any guesses as to which (if any) Apple execs will make the trip to Taiwan for the official opening?

Source: Apple

Via: Apple Insider