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“Hello, Mumbai,” says Apple, as it readies to open its first store in India later this month at Bandra Kurla Complex.
The iPhone maker has signed a 133-month (about 11 years) lease for the store in Jio World Drive mall, with an option to extend the lease by 60 months.
Spread over 20,806 sq ft, the store commands a monthly rent of over ₹42 lakh, or slightly over ₹5 crore a year. The rent will increase by 15 per cent after every 36 months, according to the lease details accessed from data analytics platform CRE Matrix. In the final term of the initial lease period the rent would be about ₹7.7 crore yearly. On extension, the starting rent would be ₹8.8 crore.
The store will occupy three floors — ground, first and second. The lease period is under lock-in for both parties.
The company took the covers off the store facade on Wednesday, allowing everyone to get a look at the black-and-yellow decal pattern, inspired by the city’s ubiquitous ‘kaali-peeli’ taxis.
Teaser mailers are being sent to customers, annoucing “Apple BKC — Coming soon”. The website says, “We are getting ready to welcome you aboard our first store in India. And raring to see where your creativity takes you at Apple BKC.”
All its products — iPhones, iPads, Apple Watches, Macs — will be available at the store. The company is offering customers an option to exchange existing Apple devices for credits on their next purchase.
The establishment of Apple’s own stores in India has been considerably delayed, due to regulatory hurdles, local sourcing norms, and, later, the Covid-19 pandemic.
India is one of the biggest markets for Apple products and ended 2022 with a 4 per cent share of the smartphone market in the country, according to Counterpoint Research. During the year, its shipments to the country rose 35 per cent year-on-year with strong demand seen for its flagship iPhones. The company also manufactures iPhones in the country and exports them too.
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