Apple Store opening trifecta this weekend

by Peter Cohen, MacCentral

Apple is opening three new retail stores this weekend. New retail stores are coming to Sherman Oaks and Los Angeles, Calif. and Salt Lake City, Utah. Apple’s newest Los Angeles-area store comes to the Beverly Center, while its Sherman Oaks store will open at the Westfield Fashion Square mall. The Salt Lake City store opens at The Gateway.

Apple’s grand openings for the stores happens at 10:00 AM local time, and the first visitors to the stores will receive free t-shirts commemorating the opening. Visitors can also enter to win Grand Opening Sweepstakes at each of the stores, with one winner receiving a “Digital Lifestyle Collection” package valued at US$2,350 including an iMac, printer, video and digital camera, and iPod nano.

Features of the new stores include The Studio, a creative hub where specialists can help store visitors with questions on how to use their Macs to retouch photos, compose music, make movies and more. Check each store’s Web site for details on workshops and other events planned for the week.