Apple Shutters Three U.S. Stores, Including Unionized Location

Apple permanently closes three retail stores today, including its first unionized outlet in Towson, Maryland, amid allegations of union busting.

Apple is permanently closing three of its U.S. retail stores today, a move that was announced in April. The affected locations are Apple Trumbull in Connecticut, Apple North County in California, and Apple Towson Town Center in Maryland. The company cited declining conditions at the shopping malls as the reason for the closures, a decision it described as difficult.

Notably, the Towson Town Center store holds historical significance as Apple's first unionized retail outlet in the United States. Its employees, represented by the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM), ratified a collective bargaining agreement in 2024. The union has since protested the closure, arguing that Apple is treating unionized workers unfairly compared to their non-union counterparts.

The crux of the dispute lies in transfer rights. Apple is allowing employees at the non-unionized Trumbull and North County stores to relocate to nearby Apple outlets, but it has not extended the same offer to Towson staff. Apple maintains that it is adhering to the collective bargaining agreement, which stipulates that employees are entitled to severance unless a new store opens within 50 miles—a scenario the company says is not currently planned.

IAM President Brian Bryant has accused Apple of union busting, asserting that the contract requires equal treatment. He stated, 'Apple workers in Towson voted to join the IAM, fought for and won a contract, and are now being punished for it.' While the Towson mall's decline is undeniable, the situation may deter other stores from unionizing, a outcome that could benefit Apple given its historical opposition to unionization.