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Apple reclosing 14 more stores in Florida amid spike in COVID-19 cases

The latest move follows Apple’s decision to reclose stores in Texas, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Arizona.

Apple Store Retail Mall Location. Apple sells and services iPhones, iPads, iMacs and Macintosh computers III

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As a new wave of coronavirus infections hits several US states, Apple is temporarily reclosing an additional 14 of its retail stores, all of them in Florida. With the company’s previous move to reclose two stores in Florida, this means that 16 of the 18 Apple stores in the state are now temporarily closed again. The only two Florida stores still open are the ones in Sarasota and Jacksonville.

SEE: COVID-19: A guide and checklist for restarting your business (TechRepublic Premium)

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The 14 store locations in Florida reclosed as of June 26 include the following:

  • Altamonte
  • Aventura
  • Boca Raton
  • Brandon
  • The Galleria
  • Lincoln Road
  • Brickell City Centre
  • Dadeland
  • The Falls
  • Florida Mall
  • Millenia
  • The Gardens Mall
  • International Plaza
  • Wellington Green
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As coronavirus cases have spiked in several states, most notably in the South and Southwest, Apple has moved to reclose stores it had previous reopened. In March, Apple had closed all of its stores outside of Greater China due to the virus and resulting lockdown. In April and May as the number of new infections started to drop in certain regions, the company took the step of reopening stores in countries such as South Korea, Austria, and Australia.

Around mid-May, Apple began reopening stores in the US, starting with Idaho, South Carolina, Alabama, and Alaska. By the end of the month, more than 130 US stores had reopened. But the recent resurgence of COVID-19 infections prompted Apple to start reversing its previous course.

On June 20, Apple reclosed 11 stores located across Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Arizona, all states that have been hit hard by new coronavirus cases. Shortly afterwards, the company reclosed seven stores in Texas, another state witnessing more infections and deaths as a result of the pandemic.

In a letter posted by Apple on May 17, Deirdre O’Brien, the company’s senior vice president of retail and people, explained the criteria Apple uses to determine if it should reopen a store, and if it should keep it open.

“We look at every available piece of data—including local cases, near- and long‑term trends, and guidance from national and local health officials,” O’Brien said. “These are not decisions we rush into—and a store opening in no way means that we won’t take the preventative step of closing it again should local conditions warrant.”

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