Lights (off), cameras (dark) and (no) action; L.A. Apple Stores shut again because of coronavirus

For the first time in months, Apple is closing some of its retail stores in the Los Angeles area. If you haven’t read the news lately, coronavirus cases are on the rise again in countries like the U.S. and England. On its website, Apple says that 12 L.A. area stores are temporarily closing on Friday and Saturday. No dates were listed for reopening. Some of the stores closing are located at major shopping areas in the city such as the The Grove and Beverly Center, Santa Monica and the Glendale area. 

There are other areas in California where Apple has kept its stores open even though the virus is getting worse. One such area is the San Francisco region where Apple has yet to re-close a store. L.A. is now the hardest hit metro area for COVID cases in the states. Apple said today that “We’re temporarily closing soon, but are currently open for pickup of existing online orders and previously scheduled in-store Genius Support appointments.” 

Apple starts shutting L.A. area Apple Stores as the coronavirus once again starts ravaging the city

It has been a tough year for the Apple Store. In May, Apple started to reopen locations in the U.S. with certain rules applying to visitors and employees. As we told you back then, the Genius Bar focused on one-to-one personalized service. Team members and customers were required to wear face masks and those without a mask were given one by Apple. Customers had their temperatures taken at the door and health questions screened for those with a fever or a cough. During the day Apple allowed the stores to be deep cleaned with “special emphasis on all surfaces, display products, and highly trafficked areas.” And many Apple Stores continue to provide curbside pick-up and drop off.

But just as Apple was about to reopen a number of U.S. Apple Stores at the end of May, protests over the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis led to the destruction of some Apple Stores in the states. Consider the Apple Store Uptown in Minneapolis. The store was looted, boarded up, looted again, and boarded up again. Just two days after it re-opened, the Apple Store at Pioneer Place in Portland had tall windows smashed on all sides keeping the store closed for additional time.

With some Apple Stores closing in L.A. once again, if you’re in the market for an iPhone, an iPad, or other Apple devices and you live in the Los Angeles area, you might want to place your order through the online Apple Store.