By Patrick Avenell in Canberra
How long can a Mac 1 premium reseller survive once an Apple Retail Store moves into the neighbourhood? The answer is minus one week.
In the seven days leading up to the opening of Canberra’s first Apple Store, in the Territory’s biggest shopping complex, the Canberra Centre, the Mac 1 store was forced to close its doors. Although the impending competition from such a decadent and dedicated outlet from Apple products would be considerable, sources at the Canberra Centre said the store was struggling regardless due to being directly opposite a popular JB Hi-Fi store.
Current.com.au has been unable to determine the exact date of the Mac 1 store’s closure, though a source at that JB Hi-Fi store said it was open on Saturday 1 September 2012 and closed by Tuesday 4 September 2012.
Mac 1 still retains a Canberra presence, with the Apple premium reseller still operating an outlet on the campus of the Australian National University – a five minute stroll from the Canberra Centre.
The boarded-up shop front of the old Mac 1 store in the Canberra Centre.
The interior of the old Mac 1 store.
The JB store directly opposite the old Mac 1 store was running an Apple sale on the day we visited.