Apple looks to be making time with its Chinese retail expansion, and as such has tapped famous calligrapher Wang Dongling to announce the grand opening of its first Apple Store in Hangzhou.
Apple is set to officially open the West Lake Apple Store in Hangzhou at 9am local time on Saturday, Jan. 24. Ahead of the store’s inauguration later this week, Apple has released a special promotional video starring Dongling on the Apple retail website in China.
The video shows Dongling using brush strokes to form Chinese characters around an Apple logo that is covering the West Lake retail location.
“His words not only describe the beauty of Hangzhou that has a long history of art and culture, but also for Apple gift to another chapter in Hangzhou rhyme,” Apple says.
Furthermore, Apple on Tuesday removed protective barriers shielding the new Apple Store in Hangzhou, China, revealing a huge glass build that mirrors closely to the San Francisco flagship location that is set to open soon. While not as big as the San Francisco location, the West Lake Apple Store has the same glass and two-story design.
Earlier this week, Angela Ahrendts, Apple’s senior vice president of retail and online stores, touted a big retail expansion in China, opening five new stores in the region in roughly five weeks time. The five new stores opened before the February 19 new year will mark 20 stores in China. Apple CEO Tim Cook said last October that the company will increase the number of retail outlets in China to 40 within two years.
Source: Apple China via MacX