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Why Physical Stores Aren't Dying — with Ron Johnson, Creator of the Apple Store and Author of Shop Different
02 September 2026

Why Physical Stores Aren't Dying — with Ron Johnson, Creator of the Apple Store and Author of Shop Different

Making Data Simple

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We dive into the surprising wisdom of retail with Ron Johnson — creator of the original Apple Store, founder of Enjoy Technology, and author of Shop Different. Johnson challenges conventional thinking about the future of physical spaces, arguing that the human element — and the power of design — will always be crucial. AND, "The most important person is in front of you," a life lesson.

    02:31 Ron Johnson! 05:42 The Apple Store 08:39 MSFT vs Apple 10:39 The Design 14:37 The Restart 20:15 Kindness 24:18 The Genius Bar 27:37 What If? 31:36 Why a Physical Store? 35:17 Client Service 38:50 JCPenney Coupons 41:32 Retail in the Future 43:40 Shop Different

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shopdifferent
Website: https://ronjohnsonshopsdifferent.com/

Want to be featured as a guest on Making Data Simple?  Reach out to us at almartintalksdata@gmail.com and tell us why you should be next.  The Making Data Simple Podcast is hosted by Al Martin, WW VP Technical Sales, IBM, where we explore trending technologies, business innovation, and leadership ... while keeping it simple & fun.