Apple Permanently Closes North Carolina Store After Multiple Shooting Incidents

[MacRumors]

Apple is closing its Northlake Mall location in Charlotte, North Carolina, after multiple shootings in the area, according to a report from Bloomberg. Employees were informed that the location would be shutting down immediately, even though it was open on Wednesday morning.

Apple's website for Northlake Mall store now says that the store will be permanently closing on Wednesday, March 1 at 4:00 p.m, with a new location in the Charlotte area planned for next year. In the meantime, Charlotte customers can visit the Apple SouthPark location.

Bloomberg says that three recent shootings in the mall "contributed" to Apple's decision to close immediately, and the move is unusual. As of Tuesday, employees were not aware the store would be closing, nor did the website mention the upcoming closure.

The relocation of the Charlotte store was already in the works and had been planned before the shutdown. Employees are being transferred to the SouthPark store or will work for the online store.

Article Link: Apple Permanently Closes North Carolina Store After Multiple Shooting Incidents

 

[GeoStructural]

Ohh, the nostalgia... this was the first Apple store I ever visited.

This happened there exactly 11 years ago:

$16K in iPhones stolen from Northlake Mall Apple store

More than two dozen iPhones were stolen from the Apple Store at the Northlake Mall earlier this winter.

www.wcnc.com

 

[sorgo †]

Thots and prayers...

 

[TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️]

Sad world we are living in today. Sending out my prayers for safety. 🙏🏻

 

[JPack]

Definitely a unique announcement.

 

[dvanwinkle]

Ready to serve you in South Park!

 

[TallGuyGT]

This really surprises me. When I last lived in Charlotte in 2015, I remember this being a safe, upscale shopping area. A lot of high end retailers. Guess things have changed for the worse …

 

[Apple_Robert]

Good move by Apple.

 

[SkyRom]

Charlotte has gotten rough lately 😳

 

[newyorksole]

wow…

this is definitely a first. kinda hard to believe, but good on them.

 

[Michael Scrip]

Very sad! I was just there last week!

The Northlake Apple Store served not just that park of Charlotte... but also the greater Lake Norman area where I live.

Now instead of a 25 minute drive... it will take me 50 minutes to drive to SouthPark Mall on the other side of Charlotte.

I wonder where the new store will be? I hope it's in the same general location. The Northlake area has tons of shopping (the mall, Best Buy, Lowes, Target, plenty of restaurants) and it's all conveniently located near two interstates.

Another place I could see an Apple Store would be the Concord Mills area. That's another location with a mall, restaurants, and plenty of shopping. And the racetrack!

 

[Kierkegaarden]

This really surprises me. When I last lived in Charlotte in 2015, I remember this being a safe, upscale shopping area. A lot of high end retailers. Guess things have changed for the worse …

Most things have changed for the worse, sorry to say. Back in the 90s, I remember 3rd Street Promenade in Santa Monica being a hip, upscale, safe area. Downtown Seattle, Portland, the list goes on…

 

[Madhatter32]

Maybe the Geniuses should carry iRevolvers instead of iPhones.

 

[that be me]

Why does this keep happening? The closing of stores in areas with high crime, I mean.

 

[JPack]

Maybe the Geniuses should carry iRevolvers instead of iPhones.

U.S. Apple Store employees should get body armor as part of their PPE.

 

[JPack]

Why does this keep happening? The closing of stores in areas with high crime, I mean.

It's probably hard to make the numbers work when there's more theft and fraud than sales.

 

[chouseworth]

I now live just outside of Raleigh, have been a North Carolina resident for 60 years, and am very familiar with both cities. Large sections of Charlotte and Raleigh/Durham have become crime havens over the past decade or two and the quality of life has deteriorated significantly. If I had a young family, I would not choose to bring it up in either of those two urban areas.

 

[sorgo †]

I wonder where the new store will be? I hope it's in the same general location. The Northlake area has tons of shopping (the mall, Best Buy, Lowes, Target, plenty of restaurants) and it's all conveniently located near two interstates.

America Thee Beautiful ❤️🙏

 

[GMShadow]

Why does this keep happening? The closing of stores in areas with high crime, I mean.

 

[JosephAW]

Unfortunately this is the one of many now that the ice has been broken.

It's time for Apple to move from developing personal health and communication products to personal protection products.
Somebody has to do it it might as well be Apple.

 

[GMShadow]

America Thee Beautiful ❤️🙏

It's amazing how things look when you manipulate photos. Here's how it actually looks.

It also just exists as a waypoint between places. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breezewood,_Pennsylvania

 

[ackmondual]

It's probably hard to make the numbers work when there's more theft and fraud than sales.

If it wasn't that, I would've thought due the shootings.

 

[GeoStructural]

Charlotte has gotten rough lately 😳

It started right after Katrina, Charlotte received a large exodus of people after that from all over the affected areas. Criminality started to spike and has been getting steadily worst.

 

[sorgo †]

Why does this keep happening? The closing of stores in areas with high crime, I mean.

Sales go down/theft becomes unmanageable/rent goes unpaid. That and/or employees gradually stop showing up.

 

[XXPP]

This is only the beginning. Ultimately, all shops and shopping centers will disappear.
Everyone knows what the reason is.