Apple to shut down three retail stores in US, including its first unionized outlet

Apple is shutting down three retail stores in the US in June this year. The stores being permanently closed by Apple include Apple Trumbull in Trumbull, Connecticut, Apple North County in Escondido, California, and Apple Towson Town Center in Towson, Maryland.

Notably, the Towson Town Centre was the first Apple store where retail ‌employees successfully unionized in 2022. Over 100 Apple employees then voted to join the International Association of Machinists & Aerospace Workers (IAM) union, marking a milestone for unionization at tech companies including Amazon, Starbucks. Describing the decision as "difficult", Apple cited the departure of several other retailers and worsening conditions at the Towson Town Center mall as key reasons for the closure, reports MacRumors.

Issuing a statement to the publication, Apple said: “Following the departure of several retailers and declining conditions at Trumbull Mall, the Shops at North County, and Towson Town Center, we've made the difficult decision to close our stores at these locations.

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Apple says Towson Town Centre staff eligible to re-apply

In its announcement, Apple said that the Towson ⁠employees will be eligible to apply for open roles at the company. “Our team members at Trumbull and North County will continue their roles at nearby Apple Retail stores.

Towson employees will be eligible to apply for open roles at Apple in accordance with the collective bargaining agreement,” the iPhone maker said.The IAM union, as per a Reuters report said that it is outraged" by Apple's decision to close the store, and that it was exploring all legal options. "Apple's claim that the ⁠collective bargaining agreement prevents relocation is simply false and raises serious concerns that this closure is a cynical attempt to bust ⁠the union," the union said as quoted in the report.

What Apple said confirming stores closure

At Apple, we are constantly striving to deliver exceptional service and great experiences for our customers. As we continue investing to expand and enhance our retail stores and offerings worldwide, we remain deliberate about evaluating our existing locations to ensure that we can meet our customers' needs in the best way. Following the departure of several retailers and declining conditions at Trumbull Mall, the Shops at North County, and Towson Town Center, we've made the difficult decision to close our stores at these locations.Our team members at Trumbull and North County will continue their roles at nearby Apple Retail stores. Towson employees will be eligible to apply for open roles at Apple in accordance with the collective bargaining agreement. We look forward to continuing to serve customers at nearby stores and on Apple.com, the Apple Store app, and at Apple Authorized Resellers and Service Providers throughout the states.