USC will be getting an Apple store on campus for students, faculty, staff and alumni

The University of South Carolina will be getting an Apple store on campus, a top official said at a board of trustees meeting Friday.

The Apple store will be open to only USC students, faculty, staff and alumni and would be a part of a new project called the iCarolina Tech Hub, said Bill Kirkland, USC’s executive director in the office of economic engagement.

Once the store opens — UCS is hoping to open next year — this would be the first Apple store within an hour’s drive of Columbia. The nearest Apple store to Columbia is Augusta. Greenville, Charleston and Charlotte also have Apple stores, according to the company’s website.

Details about the proposed hub — which could also include an “IBM Skills Academy” and a partnership with Siemens — were preliminary, but the point is to get students acquainted with cutting edge technology and software before they graduate, Kirkland said.

“It’s all about real-time, real-life experiences,” Kirkland said at the meeting.

The store will be managed by USC’s College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management, so students can get hands-on experience in retail, Stensland said.

The Apple store will be on the ground floor of the Byrnes Building and right next door to the University Tech Zone. USC will have up to five technicians who are trained to repair Apple devices, according to documents shown at the board meeting.

Kirkland said more details will be released at a later date.

This story was originally published November 13, 2020 at 1:56 PM.