Apple Australia faces Melbourne art deco protest over retail store

Australian news just in: local history buffs are up in arms over a new Apple retail store, part of a new shopping centre development that’s going to see the demolition of one of Melbourne’s finest examples of art deco architecture from the 1930s.

Mall organisers have been given the green light to flatten Lonsdale House, on Lonsdale Street near Caledonian Lane as part of the development. And artist’s impressions of the future complex include a mult-floored Apple retail outlet within the picture.

Darren Steinberg, head of property at developer Colonial Global Asset Management, responsible for the development, confirmed that the company was in talks with Apple over hiring out space in the development.

“We’re in discussions with a number of major international tenants, but at this stage there are no tenants committed to the project because we haven’t formally started the leasing campaign yet," Steinberg said.

Apple now has five retail stores in Australia. This news emerges as Apple recruits top flight talent to help drive retail store expansion in Europe and beyond.