Early rumors surfaced last March among Twin Cities technorati that Apple was planning its first urban store in Minneapolis. Uptown Neighborhood News’ Gary Farland was the first to publish the story in September that developer Urban Anthology who purchased the Uptown Bar site at 3018 Hennepin Avenue South was considering Apple as a retail tenant.  Columbia Sportswear was already confirmed by the developer which had allowed the purchase agreement between UA and site owner Frank Toonen.

Apple does not issue information on pending stores so it was a surprise today for many when a Craigslist job posting for the Uptown store showed up:

We are excited to announce our latest Apple Store at Uptown in Minneapolis, Minnesota. We are currently accepting applications for all open positions.

Applicants entering the Apple application system will find the store is listed in zip code 55305 placing it in Minnetonka which is likely a clerical issue.  Ridgedale Mall already has an Apple Store.  The hiring indicates a lease is final.

In a Star Tribune feature by Don Jacobson last November, Urban Anthology president Jeffrey Herman indicated he hired a New York architecture firm, Callison, to develop the property.  The twin two-story buildings at 3018 Hennepin Avenue South will be “experiential” according to Herman.  The first phase is nearly complete and standing along Hennepin Avenue for a spring 2010 opening. The second phase will fill the gaping hole between Columbia and the Suburban World Theater. Requests to Callison for preliminary visuals were not returned.

Minneapolitans familiar with First Tech, the only southside Apple computer retailer, are concerned over the fate of the shop which performs in-house repair and offers its own discount sales.  A First Tech representative stated they were unaware of the Apple Store “rumor” and have no plans to move.  They have no comment at this time on Apple placing a retail store less than a mile away in direct competition.