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Apple store may be an iOpportunity
Published Friday, March 14, 2008
A landmark event happened Friday morning at the Mall of Louisiana in Baton Rouge.
Four hundred people weaved their way along the sidewalks outside the shopping area to get their first look at a new iMac, iPod or iAnything for that matter.
People from as far away as Chicago waited in line for hours before the doors were opened to Apple’s newest computer store.
“What does the opening of a tiny store in Baton Rouge have to do with Natchez?” one might ask.
Before you dismiss Apple’s newest venture as another one of those over-hyped news stories, think about the big picture.
Apple has over 180 stores in the United States. Most of them are on the East Coast and West Coast.
Until last Friday, there wasn’t an Apple store to be found anywhere near the Gulf Coast between Houston and Tampa Bay.
In the computer world, some tout the states of Mississippi, Louisiana and Arkansas as the “black out zone.” According to U.S. census numbers, these three states have the lowest rate of computer and Internet usage in the entire country.
For Apple, the lowest percentage of its computer sales is centered in the state of Mississippi.
When Hurricane Katrina ripped through New Orleans, a large influx of people from hurricane-ravaged areas poured into Baton Rouge, a city of 602,000 people.
In the months following Katrina, streets were clogged with traffic from hurricane refugees. Cash register receipts and sales tax numbers swelled with the new population numbers.
Commerce flourished in the capital city.
Now Apple has decided to open a store on the south side of Baton Rouge, instead of opening one in New Orleans.
The movement of large populations of people is a rare thing to witness.
It may be akin to the seeing the Mississippi River move. It is hard to see the slow methodical meandering of the river. But if you looked at a map that showed the movement of the river over the past 100 years, you could see how much the river has snaked across the landscape.
It takes a lot of might and lot of resources to make it happen almost immediately.
Or maybe it takes a natural disaster the size of a hurricane. The same thing applies to people.
But it has happened before.
A few years ago, I remember reading a book by Erik Larson, called “Isaac’s Storm.” It was the story about such a cataclysmic event.
On September 8, 1900, Galveston, Texas, was sure to become one of the nation’s most prosperous cities.
It was a town full of activity and commerce. Little did residents know that their lives and town would be changed forever by Hurricane Isaac.
With no warning, the storm decimated the town on the Gulf Coast. With no protection, houses and business were torn apart and over a third of the city’s population was killed in the natural disaster.
After the storm, Galveston quickly changed from one of the nation’s most important commerce centers to a small Texas Coast town. Galveston would soon give up its status and much of its population to Houston. Now Houston is the fourth largest city in the United States.
The opening of an Apple store is small news in the course of daily events. But it may be a sign of something bigger. It may signal a population shift northward from New Orleans, similar to that of Galveston.
For us that may mean a population shift northward toward Natchez.
What this ultimately means for our area is hard to predict.
But now is the time for area leaders to think about how we can take advantage of such a population shift.
With a little creative planning and dreaming, we too can reap more benefits from what Katrina has already given us.
Ben Hillyer is the web editor of The Natchez Democrat. He can be reached at 601-445-3540 or by e-mail at ben.hillyer@natchezdemocrat.com.
Comments
Posted by NatchezEnema (anonymous) on March 14, 2008 at 12:31 a.m. (Suggest removal)
My gosh! In a town that has to go through an act of congress to get a cell phone tower put up, or to get your house painted a certain color. Is it any wonder why there is not any tech savy business around here? Impact of this store? Less i-pods sold at the walmart and radio shack store in Natchez. Not anything big to report about. And if you hadn't been shopping out of Natchez you probably would not have known, or had had a story to write about Mr. Ben!
Posted by BHillyer (Ben Hillyer) on March 14, 2008 at 1:05 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I don't usually respond to comments. But to set the record straight, I have not been to the store in Baton Rouge. I only read about it in another publication and thought it was interesting.
Posted by hitormiss (anonymous) on March 14, 2008 at 2:07 a.m. (Suggest removal)
There is something big to report, it is just placed in an odd spot. A far cry from how the rate look when I moved back home.
http://www.natchezdemocrat.com/news/2008...
Posted by youneverknow (anonymous) on March 14, 2008 at 8:14 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I used to have an Apple computer. Alway's had a hard time finding someone to work on it. Every computer store looked at me like i was crazy when i asked if they had a service man that could work on Apple
computers.
Posted by NatchezEnema (anonymous) on March 14, 2008 at 9:23 a.m. (Suggest removal)
O.K, GOOD , shop at home!
Posted by gemccull (Gary McCullars) on March 14, 2008 at 9:44 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Ben, if you prefer to use Apple go for it. If that means you go to Baton Rouge to get one, so be it. Or, you can order it over the Internet.
I used Apple computers a long time ago but I have never owned one. I just like the idea that I can work on my computer and upgrade it without buying proprietary components and software.
I have heard good things about Apple's products.
Posted by rusure (anonymous) on March 14, 2008 at 10:26 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Ben, I thank you for the story. I am glad to know they have opened the store. My husband recently switched to Apple b/c he was tired of the PC crashing and having to deal with that catastrophe all the time. He purchased his at Best Buy , either in Jackson or BR. He does have a hard time finding accessories, so this is wonderful to have the store in BR. He is very pleased with the Mac.
As far as where anyone shops, hey, this is America, we are free to shop where we choose. I am not bound to suffocate and do without things I want or need b/c a small town doesn't have enough to offer. If it offers everything you need, your life is small. NE, Guess you think one should not shop online either! That is not supporting the local economy.
Ben, I don't think you need to defend where you choose to shop. Thank You for the info.
Posted by concernedNTZcitizen (anonymous) on March 14, 2008 at 11:28 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Great story Ben. Those of us who don't leave town much, really appreaciate news that can be to our advantage. Some things can't be bought in the ms/lou area. Plus the i-store will have the latest in technology, that won't reach our area for several months.
Posted by kd (anonymous) on March 14, 2008 at 11:58 p.m. (Suggest removal)
It's not surprising that Apple opened a store there. Alot of businesses moved to BR from NO after Katrina. The city is quickly expanding outward to places like Walker, which was nothing until a few years ago.
BR is well on its way to being quite a major city.
Posted by skippydammit (anonymous) on March 15, 2008 at 8:36 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Excellent story Ben !
Thanks for the news about the Apple Store.
Apple makes great products which are EASY to use and
very dependable.
As for "shopping" in Baton Rouge, I find myself doing that
OFTEN as many of things I NEED are NOT in Natchez. Baton Rouge
is indeed in the process of becoming THE major city in Louisiana.
Good observation on your part as well as reviewing history of Galveston/Houston to give a perspective of how this has happened in the past and is now happening in the present.
Wish we could do something about THAT.
:)
Posted by iconoclast (anonymous) on March 15, 2008 at 9:24 a.m. (Suggest removal)
It's good to have an Apple store within driving distance. For the record though, CompUSA stores have an entire section for Mac products and there is a full-time tech/assistant, hired by Apple, to run it. I switched to Apple a few years ago and when I use a Windows based PC, such as at work, I feel like I've returned to the stone age.
*This message was proudly composed and sent on an Apple computer.
Posted by ThomasR09 (anonymous) on March 15, 2008 at 9:48 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I went to the apple store the day after it opened. it was amazing! And in response to the buying out of town, do you honestly think that the money spent at wal-mart and radio shack actually stays in town? Also, they do not sell apple computers, just ipods.
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