Apple is extending its retail footprint in Italy with a new flagship store located in the popular Via del Corso shopping area of central Rome.
Apple has had its sights on the Renaissance-inspired spot since 2013 but recently stepped up plans to restore the ground floor of the building in preparation for a grand opening in spring 2020.
Located near local landmarks such as the Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps, Apple’s new store will aim to serve and educate customers about its growing list of products, including iPhones and AirPods, in the Italian capital.
It has been two years since Apple last opened a store in the country, with Milan’s Piazza Liberty becoming the 17th retail space in Italy.
Rome already has three stores in RomaEst (the oldest in Italy), Euroma2 and Porta di Roma, but all three are away from the hustle and bustle of the city centre.
Apple RomeEast will close when the new store opens later this year and all of the employees will be transferred to Via del Corso.
Apple also plans to hire 120 more people as it looks to deliver ‘Today at Apple’ sessions, tech workshops and live music in addition to a higher service capacity.
“Our stores have proudly served customers in Rome for 13 years and we are excited that our long-term vision for Rome will come to life in Via del Corso this spring,” Apple’s retail + people SVP Deirdre O’Brien said in a statement.
In other news, Bloomberg has reported a sharp jump in sales for Apple’s iPhone 11 in China.
Shipments of the latest flagship smartphone to China grew to around 3.18m units, an 18.7% year-over-year increase.
Apple still trails the number one smartphone maker in China, Huawei, by some distance, but it will be hopeful that the Chinese New Year in a couple of weeks’ time will strengthen the recent uptick in sales.