Skip to main content

Apple temporarily closes US retail stores in wake of widespread looting and protests

Apple has temporarily closed the majority of its US retail stores for the safety of employees and customers as protests sparked by the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis continue to spread across the nation. Numerous Apple Stores from coast to coast have been targeted by looters, damaged, or preemptively secured and emptied of sales floor merchandise to deter damage.

Apple says store closures will last through Sunday. Some locations with extensive damage have indefinite closures listed on their webpages.

With the health and safety of our teams in mind, we’ve made the decision to keep a number of our stores in the US closed on Sunday.

Just 140 of Apple’s 271 US retail stores had reopened following COVID-19 precautions before protests erupted over the past week calling for justice for George Floyd. One of the first stores targeted was Apple Uptown in Minneapolis, which was vandalized, boarded up, looted, and then reinforced a second time.

Subsequent protests saw stores damaged or looted in Portland, Philadelphia, Brooklyn, Salt Lake City, Los Angeles, Charleston, Washington, D.C., Scottsdale, and San Francisco. Apple products stolen from stores are rendered inoperable after leaving the building and can be tracked by authorities. The safeguards haven’t deterred protestors. Even the construction site at Apple’s Tower Theatre restoration project appeared to be breached on Friday night.

Update: Many US store closures will extend at least through June 1:

Follow our retail guide for in-depth coverage of the latest Apple Store news.

Top photo via Zac Hall: Apple St. Johns Town Center in Jacksonville, FL emptied out of precaution on May 30, 2020.

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

You’re reading 9to5Mac — experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Don’t know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel

Comments

Author

Avatar for Michael Steeber Michael Steeber

Michael is a Creative Editor who covered Apple Retail and design on 9to5Mac. His stories highlighted the work of talented artists, designers, and customers through a unique lens of architecture, creativity, and community.

Contact Michael on Twitter to share Apple Retail, design, and history stories: @MichaelSteeber

Manage push notifications

notification icon
We would like to show you notifications for the latest news and updates.
notification icon
You are subscribed to notifications
notification icon
We would like to show you notifications for the latest news and updates.
notification icon
You are subscribed to notifications