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predilection, but it is the thing that needs to be done.”^194
To service Tesla’s customers and to find new customers,
Tesla needed stores similar to the Apple Stores. “The reason
I mentioned Apple as an influence is that their stores are
beautiful and stylish, but also simple, fun, and friendly at
the same time,” Elon said. “Those qualities are what we
want to see in our Tesla Stores. We will put as much energy
into making our stores look good as we do with our cars.”^245
Because the Tesla Stores and the Apple Stores would be
similar to each other, Elon contacted George Blankenship.
He had worked for the global clothing store GAP before
he invented Apple’s retail strategy.^51 Blankenship retired
from Apple in 2006 and now he worked as a consultant. He
began receiving e-mails with the topic “Elon Musk would
like to meet you” or “Elon Musk would like to talk to you.”
As he had never before heard of this Elon Musk, he didn’t
bother to read the e-mails. “When you’re in real estate you
get e-mails like that ten times a day,” Blankenship said.
“People want to talk to you about every little shopping
center they have everywhere in the world. I kept deleting
the e-mails.”^238
Several years earlier, Blankenship was told that Steve
Jobs had called him. But he thought it was a joke and almost
hung up the phone before someone stopped him. Maybe he
remembered the first call from Jobs when Blankenship one
day decided to read the e-mails from Tesla. “Elon Musk
would like to speak to you about the things you did at
Apple. Please give me [Elon’s secretary] a call,” the e-mail
said. He called Elon’s secretary who put him through to