Quicken Loans founder Dan Gilbert apparently still has some hope of bringing an Apple store to downtown Detroit, the Detroit News reports.
It's a move that would be a considered a big coup, and likely bring considerably more foot traffic to Woodward Avenue. Apple stores at malls in Troy and Novi are often packed, as are the outlets in major cities like New York and Chicago.
Former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, a native Metro Detroiter who is in town for Crain's Detroit Business Homecoming, said Wednesday that Gilbert showed him plans for an Apple store on Woodward at the site of the former J.L Hudson’s department store, reports Louis Aguilar of the News.
Ballmer made his remarks as he spoke to Gilbert in front of more than 300 elite locals and former Metro Detroiters at opening night of Detroit Homecoming, which is designed, in part, to get wealthy former Detroit area natives to invest in the city, Aguilar writes. Ballmer grew up in Oakland County.
Gilbert's real estate division, Bedrock, quickly pointed out that Apple has not committed to coming to Detroit.
“It was a rendering. There is no deal,” said Jim Ketai, managing partner and CEO of Bedrock.
