Apple closing stores in Texas again as COVID-19 spikes there
Seven Apple Stores in Houston will close Thursday until further notice.
- I've been covering technology and mobile for 12 years, first as a telecommunications reporter and assistant editor at ZDNet in Australia, then as CNET's West Coast head of breaking news, and now in the Thought Leadership team.
Apple is reclosing its retail stores across Houston on Thursday, with the decision coming as COVID-19 cases spike in Texas. Apple closed all its US retail stores in March to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, but it's since reopened some stores, with increased social distancing measures.
The following locations will close June 26 until further notice (as spotted earlier Wednesday by 9to5Mac):
- Houston Galleria.
- First Colony Mall.
- Willowbrook Mall.
- Highland Village.
- Memorial City.
- Baybrook.
- The Woodlands.
Apple stores in the rest of Texas -- in Austin, Dallas, El Paso, Fort Worth, San Antonio and South Lake -- remain open with modified hours and social distancing and masking requirements.
Gov. Greg Abbott said Wednesday that Texas is seeing a "massive outbreak" of COVID-19, with the number of coronavirus hospitalizations tripling in Harris County, which includes Houston, since May 31.
"Due to current COVID-19 conditions in some of the communities we serve, we are temporarily closing stores in these areas," an Apple spokesperson said in an emailed statement. "We take this step with an abundance of caution as we closely monitor the situation."
Apple last week also closed 11 retail stores because of spikes in coronavirus cases across Arizona, Florida, North Carolina and South Carolina.