Nine members of U.S. Congress from Maryland a letter sent to current Apple CEO Tim Cook and future CEO John Ternus this week, expressing “serious concern” regarding Apple’s decision to close its unionized retail store in Towson, Maryland on June 20.
Here is the content of the letter: We understand that the Towson store has been in a strong-performing location and has recently expanded its workforce. Given these factors, we seek a clearer understanding of the rationale behind this decision, including
whether alternatives—such as relocation within the Baltimore region or other operational adjustments—were meaningfully considered. We also seek confirmation that displaced workers will not be left behind by the closure decision, and will have the same access to support as other Apple employees.
To better understand this matter, we respectfully request responses to the following:
1. What factors led to the decision to close this location despite its reported performance, and were alternatives to closure fully evaluated?
2. What analysis did Apple conduct to assess the economic and workforce impacts of closing the Towson location, particularly on the nearly 100 employees affected?
3. What specific measures does Apple plan to take to support impacted employees, including severance, job placement assistance, and the ability to transfer locations? Will Apple commit to providing displaced employees the ability to immediately transfer to another Apple store location?
Beyond its workforce impact, the closure of this store will significantly affect residents and small businesses across the Baltimore region. This closure would directly impact approximately 90–100 employees, resulting in a substantial loss of household income circulating within the local economy, as these workers typically spend their earnings on housing, food, transportation, and essential services. The closure would also eliminate a localized service hub for small and mid-sized businesses in Baltimore County, increasing transaction costs—including additional time, travel, and service delays. The Towson location has provided residents and small businesses with critical in-person services, including
technical support, repairs, and business solutions upon which many constituents rely. Its loss would therefore reduce access to essential services and weaken overall local economic activity. The closure of a high-traffic anchor tenant such as Apple is expected to have measurable downstream economic effects, including the loss of approximately 100 local jobs, reduced consumer spending in the Towson retail corridor, and diminished spillover traffic that supports surrounding small businesses. Research on retail anchors indicates that such
departures can reduce adjacent business traffic.
We recognize that decisions of this scale involve complex business considerations. However, we urge Apple to reconsider whether there are viable paths forward that would preserve jobs and maintain a retail presence in the region. Maryland residents value employers who invest in their workforce and demonstrate a sustained commitment to the communities they serve. We stand ready to engage constructively with Apple to better understand this decision and to explore potential solutions.
The members of Congress want Apple to respond to the letter in writing by no later than May 15. Of course, Apple has the right to open and close retail stores as it wishes. It will be interesting to see if Cook and/or Ternus responds.
On April 9, Apple will be permanently closing three retail stores in the U.S. in June: Apple Trumbull in Trumbull, Connecticut, Apple Towson Town Center in Towson, Maryland, and Apple North County in Escondido, California.
The tech giant issued the following statement to MacRumors:
At Apple, we are constantly striving to deliver exceptional service and great experiences for our customers. As we continue investing to expand and enhance our retail stores and offerings worldwide, we remain deliberate about evaluating our existing locations to ensure that we can meet our customers’ needs in the best way. Following the departure of several retailers and declining conditions at Trumball Mall, the Shops at North County, and Towson Town Center, we’ve made the difficult decision to close our stores at these locations.
Our team members at Trumbull and North County will continue their roles at nearby Apple Retail stores. Towson employees will be eligible to apply for open roles at Apple in accordance with the collective bargaining agreement. We look forward to continuing to serve customers at nearby stores and on Apple.com, the Apple Store app, and at Apple Authorized Resellers and Service Providers throughout the states.
All three of the stores are located in struggling shopping malls that have reportedly lost dozens of other major retailers in recent years.
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