Apple Store Covid-19 Timeline: June, 2021
June 15, 2021 marks the first time in nearly 1.5 years that all 511 of Apple’s retail store were operational at the same time!
On June 15, 2021, After 17 long months, all 511 Apple Stores were operational at the same time since January 28, 2020. On that date, Apple closed their first retail location in Mainland China due to the coronavirus. And on March 13, 2020, Apple announced that all their retail locations outside of greater China would close (at the time, it was suggested that it'd only be for two weeks).
Since that date, countries have fought a pandemic that has resulted in waves of responses ranging from full-scale economic shutdowns, stay-at-home and shelter-in-place orders to a patchwork of regional restrictions and reopenings. All this resulted in many retail stores opening only to close again weeks later as cases in the area surged.
Apple's retail stores took the pulse of an area's response to the pandemic and adjusted their service model to match. In response, Apple experimented with ways to recalibrate their retail process, offering new services including curbside delivery, appointment-based shopping times, and Express Apple Stores for repairs and order pickups.
Traditionally buzzing with energy, stores became leaner and streamlined to manage crowds and distancing. Personally, a lot of good came from these changes. When I needed to go to a retail store, my total shopping time decreased, and I felt more attended to than I had pre-pandemic. I don't wish for this pandemic to continue, though I certainly hope things like Apple's quick pickup service for web orders can remain a permanent fixture moving forward.
But alas, after 17 entries chronically the reopening landscape of Apple's retail stores, I intend this to be my last reopening timeline. I hope that the few of you that scanned these entries found some benefit and enjoyed the ride. I had never expected this project to go on longer for more than a month or two, but 17 months later, here we are.
Entry Series:
June 04
Location: 🇧🇷 Brazil
Reopening: Apple VillageMall, Rio de Janeiro (First reopening: October 07; First closure: December 20, 2020)
June 13
Location: 🇪🇸 Spain
Closure: Río Shopping, Valladolid (First reopening: June 08; First closure: September 23; Second reopening: November 25, 2020)
June 14
Location: 🇸🇬 Singapore
Reopening: Apple Jewel Changi Airport, Singapore (First reopening: June 24, 2020; First closure: May 13, 2021)
June 15
Location: 🇪🇸 Spain
Reopening: Río Shopping, Valladolid (First reopening: June 08; First closure: September 23; Second reopening: November 25, 2020; Second closure: June 13, 2021)
June 26
Location: 🇦🇺 Australia
Closure: Apple Sydney, Sydney, NSW (First reopening: May 28, 2020)
Closure: Apple Broadway, Broadway, NSW (First reopening: May 07, 2020)
Closure: Apple Bondi, Bondi Junction, NSW (First reopening: May 07, 2020)
June 28
Location: 🇦🇺 Australia
Reopening: Apple Sydney, Sydney, NSW (First reopening: May 28, 2020; First closure: June 26, 2021)
Reopening: Apple Broadway, Broadway, NSW (First reopening: May 07, 2020; First closure: June 26, 2021)
Reopening: Apple Bondi, Bondi Junction, NSW (First reopening: May 07, 2020; First closure: June 26, 2021)
Huge thanks for the work of Michael Steeber from 9to5mac.com for continuing his incredible coverage of Apple Retail! His work has been instrumental in helping compile this series.
Props to @imicsun who has been following this process and producing a detailed infographic of Apples retail relaunch in lock step with Michael.
