Apple’s Steve Jobs needs to “open a can of whoop a–,” in Kunming, China, where several counterfeit Apple stores have popped up, according to blogger Bird Abroad.
“This was a total Apple store rip-off. A beautiful rip-off — a brilliant one — the best rip-off store we had ever seen (and we see them every day).”
Even so, some things were just not right about this store, the blogger adds: “The stairs were poorly made. The walls hadn’t been painted properly. Apple never writes “Apple Store” on its signs — it just puts up the glowing, iconic fruit.”
Rolling out did a little research, and it’s true: There is no official Apple store in Kunming. Also, Apple doesn’t spell “store” as “STOER” either.
There are two shocking events unfolding here: First, despite the interior design flaws, the Apple store is such a good knock-off that even the employees are fooled, according to the blogger. “Being the curious types that we are, we struck up some conversation with these salespeople who, hand to God, all genuinely think they work for Apple.”
Second, New York’s Canal Street knock-off industry has been upstaged! Those “flawless” fake China town handbags and luggage sets pale in comparison to Kunming’s Apple store — a knock-off business entity. The bar has been raised, indeed.
Obtaining the incriminating pics wasn’t easy, as the blogger “may or may not have” told the employees that she, too, was an Apple employee, visiting from the United States, and, thus, the fake Apple employees allowed her to take the telltale photos.
Apple’s intellectual property lawyers are sure to be heading to Kunming even as you read this. No word on the prices of the fake Apple goods that are sold in the fake Apple store by the fake Apple employees.
Photos: A Bird Abroad.
