Apple to Permanently Close First Unionized U.S. Retail Store

Apple is permanently shutting down its retail store at the Towson Town Center in Maryland this June, closing the first location in the U.S. to successfully unionize. The company confirmed the move on Thursday, citing "declining conditions" and the departure of other major retailers at the mall as the primary reasons for the exit.



The closure marks a notable moment for Apple's retail division. The Towson store made national headlines in 2022 when employees voted to join the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM). That vote came despite an internal push from retail chief Deirdre O'Brien to dissuade staff from organizing. Since then, tensions between the store and Apple have continued, with the company at one point withholding perks and facing accusations of stalling contract negotiations for nearly two years.


While the two sides eventually reached a tentative agreement last year to improve pay and job security, that security now appears short-lived. The IAM union has already labeled the closure as a cynical attempt at union busting, arguing that the collective bargaining agreement is being used as an excuse to avoid relocating workers.

The fate of the store's employees has become the biggest point of contention. Unlike staff at the Trumbull Mall in Connecticut and the North County Mall in San Diego—two other locations Apple is shuttering this June—Towson workers are not being offered transfers to nearby locations. Apple points to the terms of the collective bargaining agreement which, according to reports, require the company to transfer or rehire staff only if a new store opens within 50 miles of the current mall. Because Apple has no plans to open a new local storefront, the company says workers will instead receive severance. However, the union maintains that those employees should have the same rights to existing open roles as non-unionized staff.

Apple rarely closes retail stores, though it has occasionally shuttered locations near larger nearby outlets or exited sites due to declining foot traffic, even as it expands internationally with openings like Apple Borivali in India.