Apple
Too High in the Tree for Sinex Mall to Reach (even at 14 stories!)
Burlington
Town Center's (BTC's) owner Don Sinex from the start dangled a new
Mall re-development with all kinds of baubles and bangles from
housing and parks to a hotel and conference center. One of those
baubles offered for Burlington residents supposed retail
“need” as old time malls and box stores wither on the vine: our very own Apple Store (now just “Apple” with new branding). No one has heard anything more other than Sinex saying the Cupertino, CA icompany has some interest. Probably one local Vermont business has more than a passing curiosity—Small Dog Electronics whose stores in Waitsfield and So. Burlington serve all the fanboys and girls in northwestern and central Vermont—the others must go to Montreal, or the stores in southern New Hampshire and Albany.
“need” as old time malls and box stores wither on the vine: our very own Apple Store (now just “Apple” with new branding). No one has heard anything more other than Sinex saying the Cupertino, CA icompany has some interest. Probably one local Vermont business has more than a passing curiosity—Small Dog Electronics whose stores in Waitsfield and So. Burlington serve all the fanboys and girls in northwestern and central Vermont—the others must go to Montreal, or the stores in southern New Hampshire and Albany.
An
Apple in Burlington? Well, good luck Charley Brown! What a
carnival barker Sinex seems to be! Check out our sister northern
New England states of Maine and New Hampshire with twice our
populations and where Apple does have just four—count them four
Apples. Maine has one store at Maine Mall, So. Portland, in
Cumberland County with a population of 100,000 more than Chittenden's
136,000, And nearby within a half hour drive are three 100,000 plus
counties--Androscoggin, Kennebec and York [over 200,000]. The two
counties north and south of Burlington—Franklin and Addison average
40,000 population. To the west, well there are those pesky mountains
and Small Dog with it Waitsfield shop.
Our
closest Apple to Burlington is in Montreal, 100 miles away. But we
have a full service Apple in Small Dog in So. Burlington. Small Dog
there is perfectly located a five minute free bus ride away from its
primary local customer base—the 15,000 or so students and staff at
UVM.
Speaking
of New Hampshire with its no sales tax on Apple trinkets and Watches,
there are two border stores at Pheasant Lane in Nashua and Rockingham
Mall in Salem. The third Apple resides in Manchester in Hillsborough
County which has a population two-thirds of Vermont's--over 400,000.
And Manchester is a few miles from the Merrimack County line
(includes Concord) with 146,000 population.
So
the idea that Apple will put Small Dog out of business with a store
in the Burlington just does not compute. How about them apples
Mr. Sinex? If Sinex wanted to help small business it might pursue a
small puppy from Small Dog, not an urban Apple, a fruit too far.
Sushi on a conveyor belt anyone? That new store touted by Sinex
added at the BTC entrance lasted just twelve months.
How
about them Apples!
