Apple is permanently closing three retail stores in June, including its controversial unionized store in Towson, Maryland. The other closures affect locations in Escondido, California, and Trumbull, Connecticut, all situated in struggling malls. These closures mark the end of operations for Apple North County, Apple Trumbull, and Apple Towson Town Center.

Most employees will transfer to nearby Apple stores without further action required, provided they remain with the company. Unionized Towson employees will be eligible to apply for open roles elsewhere at Apple under the existing bargaining agreement. The Inner Harbor location in Baltimore, approximately 12 miles from Towson, will be the closest Apple store for affected customers.

This move reflects broader challenges facing the U.S. mall ecosystem, which has struggled due to the rise of online shopping. Apple is shifting its retail strategy away from mall locations toward commercial districts, as evidenced by recent openings in Detroit and Miami. Despite these closures, Apple continues expanding its brick-and-mortar presence with stores in high-traffic urban areas rather than relying on declining indoor mall foot traffic.