As U.S. retail closures are expected to exceed openings again this year, we bring you news about the imminent closure of the suburban Apple store at Northbrook Court mall.
Although the shop has not released a specific closure timeline, a spokesperson cited the mall's "evolving redevelopment plans" in a statement to NBC Chicago when asked about the reasons behind the decision.
"At Apple, we’re always focused on providing an exceptional experience for all of our customers," Apple said in a statement. "With the evolving redevelopment plans at Northbrook Court Mall and the departure of several retailers, we have made the difficult decision to close our store there."
This isn't the first big-name tenant to leave the mall: Earlier this year, Lululemon closed its shop there, joining a list of dozens of other restaurants and storefronts that are now vacant. CNBC reports that Forever21 is also "in talks with liquidators," although it is "struggling to find a buyer."
Apple surely had a good run at the mall: The store debuted on the lower level two decades ago, in 2005, and moved to a bigger space on the second floor in 2017.
Chicagoans looking to snag the latest iPhone in person will still be able to do so at the company's eight other Chicago-area stores, including ones on Michigan Avenue, Lincoln Park, Skokie, Deer Park, Oak Brook and more.