Tech

Apple will reopen 10 stores in New York City for the first time since they were closed due to the pandemic

Key Points
  • Apple will reopen 10 stores in New York City this week.
  • It's the first time Apple stores in the city have been open since they closed in March in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
  • By the end of the week, more than 200 of the company's 271 U.S. retail operations will be open, although many are limited to curbside service or to shopping by appointment. 
Apple CEO Tim Cook greets employees outside the Apple Store on Fifth Ave in New York, September 20, 2019.
Carlo Allegri | Reuters

Apple will reopen 10 stores in New York City this week, the company said on Tuesday. It's the first time Apple stores in the city have been open since they closed in March in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Ten stores in New York City will be open "by appointment," meaning that customers can schedule a time to pick up previously purchased products or get service for their iPhone.

The stores reopening this week in New York include locations in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island. They include Apple's glass cube on Fifth Avenue, which is one of the company's most visible retail locations and a tourist attraction. Apple didn't say which day this week the stores will open but specific hours and dates will be posted to the company's website.

Apple's World Trade Center location won't reopen this week because the mall it is in is still closed. 

The reopenings in New York are a sign that commerce and business are starting to return in the city after it became the primary hotspot for Covid-19 in the United States.

By the end of the week, Apple will reopen 70 more stores around the United States, including the New York stores, meaning that more than 200 of the company's 271 U.S. retail operations will be open, although many are limited to curbside service or to shopping by appointment. 

"This week we'll return to serving customers in many more US locations including by appointment in New York City, where we're proud to stand beside New Yorkers as they emerge from this incredibly difficult time," Apple said in a statement. 

In May, Apple announced its plan for reopening stores in a letter from retail chief Deirdre O'Brien. It's closely following regulations on a region-by-region basis. The company is providing space for social distancing, running temperature checks for employees and requires face masks inside its stores. If a customer doesn't have a face mask, Apple will provide one. 

Apple reopening about 100 more U.S. stores
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Apple reopening about 100 more U.S. stores