How the Apple Store changed shopping forever – one customer
at a time.
In Shop Different: A Retail Story, visionary
retailer Ron Johnson reveals the untold story of how he and Steve Jobs created
the Apple store. From the first store’s opening to a global empire of over 500
locations, Johnson shares a behind-the-scenes look at iconic moments, including
the opening of their first UK store on Regent Street and the restoration of the
ancient Covent Garden store.
Part business memoir, part insider account, the book
uncovers Johnson’s philosophy – 'Good Things Happen When People Come to the
Store,’ ‘You Can’t Automate Service’ – and offers timeless lessons on
leadership, innovation and customer experience. Filled with personal stories,
hard-won wisdom and reflections on working with Steve Jobs, this is an
inspiring read offering insights that readers can apply in their own work and
lives.
Co-written with Zander Nethercutt, this is the definitive
account of how Apple’s ‘houses of worship’ became a retail phenomenon that
forever changed how we shop.
About the Author
Ron Johnson
I'm a life long retailer and best known as the creator of
the Apple Store and for bringing good design to Target. My upcoming book, SHOP
DIFFERENT: HOW RETAIL REVEALED APPLE'S GENIUS, is available for preorder and
will be published by Harper Collins on September 22nd, 2026.
I'm a first time author but love telling stories as a
motivational speaker and mentor to others. I wrote SHOP DIFFERENT for a simple
reason: throughout my career books changed my life.
Early in my professional career authors such as Stephen
Covey and Tom Peters profoundly influenced how I thought about leadership and
business. After years of encouragement to tell the Apple Retail story, I
decided it was time to share the lessons I learned with the next generation of
leaders.
SHOP DIFFERENT is much more personal than I anticipated when
I started writing but believed it the best way to communicate my story and
inspire readers. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did writing it.
