An achievement that makes Apple CEO Steve Job's endless promotion of the company appear more than hyberbole has occurred: Apple's own stores are in the black.

Apple posted its highest quarterly income for three years in its September earnings results announced today. Excluding two bonus windfalls, the company turned a profit for the quarter of $29 million on sales of $1.72 billion. Without the charges, it would have recorded $44 million net income.

CFO Fred Anderson said that while CPU sales increased seven per cent year on year, revenue increased 19 per cent, which he largely attributed to peripheral sales. The iPod sold 336,000 units in the quarter, said Anderson, adding $121 million in revenue. Apple's US retail stores are finally in the black: the 63 stores open (on average) in the period added $193 million of revenue.

I checked up on how the brick and mortar Apple Stores are doing after getting good news via email Monday.

Apple Store, Washington Square
10 a.m to 9 p.m., Saturday, November 15

Drop in and help us celebrate the newest store in Portland. The whole day is full of festivities. See how Apple is changing the way people view technology. Check out all the new Apple products, including Mac OS X version 10.3 "Panther,"* the Power Mac G5, the ever-popular iPod, and iTunes--the world's best jukebox software that is now available for Mac and Windows. You can also test-drive the new eMac, our most affordable desktop ever, and the new iBook G4, our fast, affordable portable.

The best place to discover. The perfect place to learn.More than just a place to shop, the Apple Store is the place to learn about and take part in today's digital revolution. Attend hands-on workshops and discover innovative business solutions from a Mac Business Specialist. It's the place to see, feel, and interact with everything Apple has to offer.

Join us on November 15. This is one grand opening you won't want to miss.

Yes! Puddletown is finally getting an Apple Store of its own. It will be the only Apple Store in Oregon.

MacNN has statistical information about Apple Stores, including:

•Apple will have 74 retail stores, including the new Tokyo location, by December 31.

•This year Apple sold 187,000 computers in its stores, 87,000 of which were to first time Mac buyers.

•47 percent of buyers at Apple retail stores were new to the Mac platform.

•Store traffic, volume, and sales are steadily increasing, while operating expense is going down.

•On average six percent of those who visit a new Apple Store buy something. As a store gets older that percent increases to about 13, meaning people are returning.

I look forward to having a third concrete choice when shopping for Mac products. Currently, we are limited to two convenient options, The Mac Store (formerly The Computer Store) and CompUSA. Neither can be relied on for repairs, especially of laptops. The Apple stores have an average turnaround time of two days for repairs — less time that it takes for Apple to send a box for its general repair service. My first purchase will likely be new iPod earphones to replace the ones I lost last week.

My blog is Mac-a-ro-nies.