Apple says these malls got so bad it’s leaving

The countdown is on for Apple’s devoted flock: Later this month, the tech giant will permanently close three stores in California, Connecticut and Maryland. The Cupertino, California-based company confirmed the store closures back in April, blaming “the departure of several retailers and declining conditions” where they are located, as the company said in a statement to Mac Rumors. More recently, it updated the details for each of the affected stores, citing the same closure date for each of June 20. The affected stores are: California: Apple North County retail store at the Shops at North County, 272 E Via Rancho Parkway, Escondido 92025 Connecticut: Apple Trumbull retail store at Trumbull Mall, 5065 Main Street, Trumbull 06611 Maryland: Apple Towson Town Center retail store at Towson Town Center, 825 Dulaney Valley Road, Towson 21204 In April, the iPhone maker told MacRumors that employees at the Trumbull and North County locations would continue their roles at nearby Apple stores. What’s happening with the employees at the Towson location has proven to be far more contentious. TUSSLE WITH TOWSON UNION Apple initially said that employees at the Towson location would be eligible to apply for open roles within the company in accordance with a collective bargaining agreement, as that store made history by forming the first union for an Apple retail store in 2022. Later that month, however, the union representing the employees fired back. The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, which represents the employees, filed a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board in late April accusing the company of discriminating and retaliating against these employees because of their union membership. Apple told Reuters at the time—and confirmed to Fast Company on Friday—that the collective bargaining agreement specified that in the event of a store closure, it would transfer or rehire employees if Apple opened a new store within 50 miles of Towson’s c