Shop Different

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.