Apple’s Battersea Power Station store in London is offering a glimpse into what the company’s future mall store designs may look like. Located adjacent to Apple’s UK headquarters, the outlet combines retail, display, and service elements in a blend of style and functionality.
A Store with Character
Stepping through its large glass façade—set between upscale brands like Ralph Lauren and Lacoste—the Battersea store differentiates itself with warm materials and thoughtful layout choices. Its interior is almost entirely clad in wood, setting it apart from more generic mall stores. Rather than a massive video wall, this location features a small TV in a corner alongside an alcove dedicated to Vision Pro headset demos. Lighting is softened by a drop ceiling with vertical slats stretching across the room, creating a more intimate, elongated feel.
The Genius Bar also reflects new design thinking. Located at the back left of the store, two wooden counters at different heights are accompanied by lower seating and stools—offering a more accessible and relaxed customer interaction space compared to typical retail counters.
Signs of a Bigger Shift
These design choices match reports of upcoming refurbishment plans aimed at redefining Apple’s standard store model. Rather than expanding with new locations, Apple is reportedly focused on revamping existing stores, introducing wood-based designs, dual-height service counters, and removing large video walls. Elements like storage drawers and large poster displays are also part of the proposed updates.
Such changes are not wholly experimental: Apple’s Tysons Corner store, renovated in 2023, already features this aesthetic, and Battersea’s own store—also opened in 2023—aligns with what had been predicted in recent reports. Battersea is likely among the test locations for layout experiments happening globally, given its proximity to Apple’s UK headquarters.
For shoppers used to cold, corporate retail spaces, the Battersea store represents a warmer, more human-centered design direction at Apple’s mall-facing outlets. It feels less like a fortress of product standing and more like a space built for people.
Looking ahead, these signals suggest that Apple may be about to roll out this more inviting design language to many stores worldwide. If so, customers should expect remodeled Genius Bars, natural materials, and scaled-back theatrics rather than new locations. And for those who’ve made long trips to see a store like Battersea—your local outlet might not be far behind.
