Quick Brief
- The Expansion: Apple Sainte-Catherine relocates to historic building, more than doubling store size with 200-person multilingual team
- The Investment: Part of Apple’s $500 billion four-year U.S. and North America infrastructure commitment announced February 2025
- The Context: Fifth Quebec location strengthens Apple’s 28-store Canadian network as company accelerates global retail expansion into India and Saudi Arabia
- The Timeline: Opened January 16, 2026, after nearly 20 years of Apple retail presence in downtown Montreal
Apple opened its reimagined Sainte-Catherine store in Montreal on January 16, 2026, more than doubling the footprint of its previous location at the corner of Sainte-Catherine Street West and Rue de la Montagne. The expansion reflects Apple’s deepening commitment to physical retail infrastructure as the company executes a broader North American investment strategy totaling over $500 billion through 2029.
Historic Building Restoration Anchors Retail Strategy
The new location occupies a restored historic structure featuring Saint-Marc stone from Quebec, local granite, and a meticulously refurbished copper cornice completed by local artisans. The store houses dedicated zones including an Apple Pickup area for online order collection, a Genius Bar staffed by Apple Specialists, and accessibility features such as varied table heights and expanded wheelchair navigation routes.
Deirdre O’Brien, Apple’s senior vice president of Retail and People, stated the expansion builds on nearly two decades of community integration in downtown Montreal. The 200-person team collectively speaks dozens of languages, positioning the store to serve Montreal’s diverse population.
The location sits within Montreal’s Golden Square Mile near Sherbrooke Street West, recently recognized as one of the world’s coolest streets. Today at Apple sessions offer training on Apple Intelligence features across iPhone, iPad, and Mac, alongside assistive technology workshops for VoiceOver and other accessibility tools.
Analysis: Retail Expansion Amid $12.7B Infrastructure Spend
Apple’s Montreal expansion aligns with aggressive retail scaling across emerging and established markets. The company allocated $12.7 billion to capital expenditures in fiscal Q4 2025, representing a 35% year-over-year increase driven primarily by AI infrastructure and chip manufacturing. This capital deployment strategy extends to physical retail, with Apple announcing plans for flagship stores in Saudi Arabia starting 2026 and a sixth Indian location in Mumbai’s Borivali.
The Montreal store represents Apple’s fifth Quebec location within a 28-store Canadian network. This density contrasts with Apple’s India strategy, where the company opened its fifth store in Noida in December 2025 and plans aggressive expansion beyond metro markets. Vanessa Trigub, Apple’s Vice President of Stores and Retail Operations, emphasized seamless integration between physical and digital channels as core to the expansion philosophy.
Apple closed fiscal 2025 with approximately $416 billion in revenue and record September quarter performance across iPhone sales and services revenue, which reached $27.4 billion. The company’s February 2025 commitment to spend $500 billion in the U.S. over four years includes supplier partnerships, AI data centers, and corporate facilities, with Apple paying $19 billion in U.S. taxes in 2024 alone.
Store Features and Community Engagement
| Feature | Specification |
|---|---|
| Team Size | Nearly 200 multilingual Apple Specialists |
| Size Comparison | More than double previous location |
| Key Services | Genius Bar, Apple Pickup, Today at Apple sessions, personalized shopping |
| Accessibility | Varied table heights, expanded wheelchair routes |
| Architecture | Historic building with Quebec Saint-Marc stone, local granite, restored copper cornice |
| Opening Event | Live iPad art demonstrations by Catherine Potvin (January 16-17, 2026) |
The store launched with special programming featuring Montreal-based illustrator Catherine Potvin, who conducted live iPad art demonstrations on opening weekend. Customers received custom illustrations on Apple retail bags during select time slots.
Competitive Positioning in North American Retail Infrastructure
Apple’s Montreal investment occurs as the company expands its physical retail presence globally while competitors increasingly pivot to digital-first strategies. The opening coincides with Apple’s broader North American manufacturing push, including a 250,000-square-foot server manufacturing facility in Houston scheduled to open in 2026.
The company maintains 28 retail locations across Canada, with five concentrated in Quebec. This regional density supports Apple’s services revenue growth, which achieved all-time highs in fiscal 2025. Physical stores enable exclusive offerings including flexible monthly financing, competitive trade-in programs, and Shop with a Specialist over Video services.
Apple’s gross margin reached 47.2% in fiscal Q4 2025, demonstrating profitability gains despite tariff pressures and infrastructure investment costs. The Montreal store expansion leverages this financial position to capture market share in Canada’s second-largest metropolitan economy.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
When did the new Apple Sainte-Catherine store open?
The reimagined Apple Sainte-Catherine opened January 16, 2026, in downtown Montreal at Sainte-Catherine Street West and Rue de la Montagne.
How large is the new Montreal Apple Store?
The new location more than doubles the size of Apple’s previous Sainte-Catherine store and employs nearly 200 multilingual specialists.
How many Apple stores operate in Canada?
Apple operates 28 retail stores across Canada, including five locations in Quebec.
What services are exclusive to Apple retail stores?
Apple stores offer personalized shopping sessions, flexible monthly financing, Genius Bar support, Today at Apple workshops, and competitive trade-in programs unavailable through online channels.
