Apple temporarily closes its Philadelphia store in response to protests

Apple Walnut Street
Apple Walnut Street (Image credit: Apple)

What you need to know

  • Apple Walnut Street in Philadelphia is temporarily closed.
  • The store was closed in response to tensions between police and protestors.
  • It is unclear when the store will reopen.

Reported by Michael Steeber from 9to5Mac, Apple has temporarily closed its location at Walnut Street in Philadelphia. According to Steeber, the location has been closed, not in response to a COVID-19 concern, but out of precaution from the tension between protestors and police in the city.

"Apple Walnut Street is closed — this isn't due to COVID, but precautionary because of the tension in Philadelphia. The store hasn't even been fully repaired from summer's damage."

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The tension between protestors and police in Philadelphia occurred after the fatal police shooting of Walter Wallace Jr. According to a report from CBS, the police reported that 81 people were arrested on Tuesday night alone. Other stores in the city have also closed as a precautionary measure against damage and looting.

If you visit the Apple Walnut Street page on Apple's website, you'll notice that it is currently listed as "temporarily closed." Steeber notes that the location, as of its closing, was still undergoing repairs from damage it sustained over the summer during the George Floyd protests.

Most of Apple's retail locations are now open in the United States, but some still remain closed due to COVID-19 precautions. Others, though open, require appointments or are operating under an "Express" format where customers can purchase products at a window.

Joe Wituschek
Contributor

Joe Wituschek is a Contributor at iMore. With over ten years in the technology industry, one of them being at Apple, Joe now covers the company for the website. In addition to covering breaking news, Joe also writes editorials and reviews for a range of products. He fell in love with Apple products when he got an iPod nano for Christmas almost twenty years ago. Despite being considered a "heavy" user, he has always preferred the consumer-focused products like the MacBook Air, iPad mini, and iPhone 13 mini. He will fight to the death to keep a mini iPhone in the lineup. In his free time, Joe enjoys video games, movies, photography, running, and basically everything outdoors.