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Apple runs a really tight ship. That’s the takeaway of a recent Wall Street Journal article that used confidential Apple store training materials and interviews with current and former store associates to provide a behind-the-scenes look at the tech-giant’s store operations. Among the interesting details: Apple’s annual retail sales per square foot stand at an astounding $4,406.

Here are some other interesting insights from the article:

Teen apparel retailer rue21 is celebrating the opening of its 700th store, in New Braunfels, Texas. The chain is on track to open 110 locations this year. Commented president and CEO Bob Fisch: “We remain one of the fastest growing retailers in the nation. I would like to thank our real estate, construction and field teams and recognize their hard work, which allows us to celebrate another significant milestone for rue21."
 

“The economic model of Outlet is the highest return on capital and is where customers gravitate," Gap CEO Glenn Murphy said at an investment conference in New York City, where he revealed the company will close 200 U.S. Gap stores and expand its outlet base.

But don’t expect the stores to be filled with last year’s castoffs.

"I don't want them bringing stripes in the stores if stripes are last year's idea,” Murphy said.

Thinking of opening a store on Manhattan’s Fifth Ave? Be prepared to shell out some hefty rent. The average rent for space along Fifth Avenue’s prime stretch from 49th Street up to 59th Street hit $1,900 per square foot in the first quarter, according to the latest CB Richard Ellis (CBRE) Global Retail MarketView. The second-highest U.S. retail market? Los Angeles, with rents of $520 per square foot.

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With a subtitle of “The Unlikely Story of Wal Mart’s Green Revolution,” this book, by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Edward Humes, is a must-read for anyone who remains doubtful that going green can actually be profitable.

Click here to learn more.

Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz told Britain’s Sky.com that the chain’s focus on improving its offerings and encouraging innovation as opposed to cost-cutting and store-closings are the reasons for its turnaround.

“You can’t “cut your way to prosperity,” Schultz said. “You have to create growth and opportunity.”

Organic growth initiatives come out on top (46%) when it comes to how to increase market share, followed by a mix of organic growth and M&A (22%) and primarily M&A (22%), according to a survey of 152 senior financial executives of global retail companies by KPMG International.