Apple opens a new Store in Rome

As the 17th store to open in Italy, Apple Via del Corso will serve as an all-new, centrally located space for Apple team members to provide best-in-class service and support to the local community. The store preserves the grand Palazzo Marignoli, paying homage to Rome’s rich history of art and culture, and making it one of Apple’s most significant restoration projects.

Apple Via del Corso also brings the first-ever Today at Apple Made in Rome program dedicated to providing the next generation of young Romans with inspiration, skills, and tools to explore their passions. Led by over 40 local artists, Apple curated sessions across the fields of music, art and design, content creation, and video, aimed at supporting local communities across the city in the months to come. Once in-person sessions return, the new store will also host free Today at Apple sessions on topics ranging from photography and video, music, coding, art, design, and more.

Deirdre O’Brien, Apple’s senior vice president of Retail + People: “We can’t wait to begin a new chapter in Rome with the opening of Apple Via del Corso. The new store represents a celebration of the unique history and art of Roman culture, and we hope to inspire creativity among the local community with our Made in Rome program and future Today at Apple sessions.”

Originally constructed in 1873 by renowned architect Salvatore Bianchi and a second renovation by architect Giulio Podesti, Palazzo Marignoli was the home of Marquis Filippo Marignoli and housed Caffè Aragno, one of Rome’s most notable gathering places in its day frequented by artists, writers, and actors.

Several pieces of art showcased in Caffè Aragno have been carefully restored and thoughtfully incorporated within the new store design, including multiple graffiti panels created by Italian painter Afro Basaldella in 1950. The teams were also able to revive and integrate Fabio Cipolla’s “Dawn” and Ettore Ballerini’s “Dusk,” two large ceiling paintings that date back to the early 1900s. Similar to previous restorations such as Apple Champs-Élysées in Paris, Regent Street in London, and Carnegie Library in Washington, D.C., Apple and a team of local restorers collaborated to create a thoughtful combination of historic and contemporary architecture with Via del Corso.

Large glass windows face Via del Corso, allowing natural light to stream into the interior. The store centers around a lush courtyard brimming with native Camphora trees — the green heart of the palazzo and a remnant of the historic monastery Santa Maria Maddalena delle Convertite.

On the first floor, four sets of doors provide access to an exterior landscaped terrace filled with jasmine vines and olive trees inspired by Roman roof terraces that look into the courtyard.

Once inside, visitors will find a monumental staircase dating back to 1888, restored to its original detailing of locally sourced Carrara marble. On the upper floor, the Forum occupies the ballroom of the Marquis’s palazzo, which will be home to Today at Apple sessions.

Adjacent to the Forum is a dedicated space for Apple Support and the Genius Bar, where a team of conservators have worked thousands of hours to restore the exquisite, geometrically patterned, hand-painted ceiling.

Via del Corso joins the 117 Apple Store locations across 12 countries in Europe. Apple’s presence in Europe spans more than 40 years, supporting over 1.8 million jobs with more than 100 new jobs created at the new store. In all, Via del Corso is home to 200 team members who collectively speak 20 languages.

The store will open with the same comprehensive health and safety procedures currently in place across all Apple Store locations. For those wishing to order new products online, customers can get shopping help from Apple Specialists, choose monthly financing options, trade in eligible devices, receive Support services, and select no-contact delivery or Apple Store pickup for online purchases.

Source: Patently Apple