Apple Closes Stores In 4 States, Including North And South Carolina, As Infections Rise

CUPERTINO, Calif. (AP) — Apple is closing 11 stores in Arizona, Florida, North Carolina and South Carolina that it had opened just few weeks after reopening them.

The decision announced Friday arrives amid rising infections in some states, particularly those that began loosening the restrictions requiring most people to stay home and most stores to shut down this spring.

Arizona and Florida have both experienced rising incidents of new cases and rates of those testing positive for COVID-19.

Over the past two weeks, the rolling average number of daily new cases in Florida has increased by 1,422.7, or 144.4%.

In Arizona in the past two weeks, the rolling average number of daily new cases has increased by 1,422.7, or 144.4%.

“We take this step with an abundance of caution as we closely monitor the situation and we look forward to having our teams and customers back as soon as possible,” Apple said in a prepared statement.

The Cupertino, California, company began reopening more than 30 stores scattered across the country last month after shutting down all of its U.S. brick-and-mortar locations in March. Apple continued to sell iPhones and other products in its online store.

Seven of the Apple stores that are closing again are in Arizona. Two stores are closing in both Florida and North Carolina. The Greenville, South Carolina location in Haywood Mall in South Carolina. South Carolina has two Apple locations and they are both now temporarily closed.

In North Carolina, both stores that will be temporarily closing are in the Charlotte area. The Northlake and SouthPark mall locations of Apple will be joining Southpoint in Durham and Crabtree Valley Mall in Raleigh, both of which were already closed prior to the announcement Friday, with temporary closures.

The only Apple Store that will remain open in North Carolina as of now is the one located in Greensboro’s Friendly Center.