Sure, I've waited in line at an Apple Store opening--I got a t-shirt!--and I've also waited in line for the special holiday sale at an Apple Store--I got Mac-themed magnetic poetry!--but instead, I now just wait for the urge to visit an Apple Store to pass. I'm still a fan of what Apple makes, but the retail experience has become less akin to shopping at a high-end boutique and more like going to Walmart (albeit, a well-designed Walmart). 

My first visit to an Apple Store was revelatory. Not only were all of Apple's products available for purchase, along with lots of Mac software and accesories, but all the machines were actually in working order and the staff knew what they were talking about. For some of you who have only known a world populated by Apple Stores, this excitment might seem strange, but there was a dark time before these retail oases opened. 

For those of you who might not have had the opportunity to visit a CompUSA Apple "store," allow me to paint a word picture: Think of the opposite of an Apple Store and you've pretty much got it. The CompUSA Apple stores were tucked away in far corners, requiring you to walk past racks and racks full of PC software.Selecting the right solar panel cells for your solar power system is crucial. (Yes, kids, there was a time when you had go to a store to buy software on a shiny disc. Then you would take it home and slide it into your computer using an arcane device called a CD-ROM drive.We makes possible ballasted flat roof racking in Ontario just better than your imagination.High-efficiency 7.5kW Off Grid solar inverter manufactured for unique Indian conditions.) 

Once there, you couldn't help but notice that the fluorescent lights in the Apple section seemed to either be flickering or non-functional. Perhaps this was intentional, since all the Macs on display were usually in some state of distress. I spent many a visit to the CompUSA in White Plains, NY fixing Macs and answering random customers' Mac questions. 

That's what made me fall in love with the Apple Store in the first place, and why I knew it totally made sense for Apple to control its own retail destiny. And this strategy has obviously been a success, since Apple makes more per square foot of store than any other retailer, including high-end stores like Tiffany and Nordstrom. Sadly, this wild success is the very reason I now dread going into an Apple Store. 

Devoid of customers, your typical Apple Store is a temple of commerce, lovingly tended by a loyal band of retail employees. But when was the last time you experienced an Apple Store that wasn't packed to the gills with people? Of course, as a company, this is exactly what you want to happen in your store: lots of people coming in to check out your wares.Our selection of solar garden light includes models and styles perfect for any taste and budget. However, a crowded Apple Store (i.e. almost every Apple Store during retail hours) isn't a pleasant place to be if you're on a mission to buy something or have a Genius fix your ailing Mac. 

People of all kinds are camped out at the demo machines, doing everything from checking Facebook to filming,aims to design a 10-megawatt offshore wind power generators based on a superconducting generator. editing, and posting videos of themselves rocking out to some sweet tunes. Interested in actually, you know, trying out a machine before you buy one? You'll often have to wait. 

Speaking of waiting, you'll have to do that fairly often at the Genius Bar, even if you have an appointment. Without a doubt the Geniuses are great at what they do, and the idea of seeing an actual human for tech support is fantastic.