Apple will shut down a retail store in China for the first time, signaling a rare retreat in a key market where the tech giant is working to regain momentum.
The company announced on Monday that its Parkland Mall store in Dalian’s Zhongshan District will officially close on August 9. Apple cited changes at the shopping complex as the reason for the closure. The Parkland Mall location is one of two in Dalian — the other, located at Olympia 66, will remain operational.
“In light of several retailers exiting Parkland Mall, we’ve decided to close our store there,” Apple said in a statement. “We remain committed to offering exceptional service across our more than 50 Apple Store locations in Greater China and online.”
Apple currently operates around 56 stores in the Greater China region, which accounts for over 10% of its global retail footprint of more than 530 outlets. Employees from the closing store will be offered opportunities at other locations.
The move comes as China faces economic headwinds, including weak consumer demand, deflationary pressures, and declining property prices. Retail sales have underperformed expectations, while global tariffs continue to weigh on exports.
Despite the closure, Apple is actively expanding its retail presence. A new store is set to open at Uniwalk Qianhai in Shenzhen on August 16, with additional openings planned in Beijing and Shanghai over the next year. Apple also launched a store in Anhui province in January.
Internationally, the company recently opened new stores in Osaka, Miami, and Malaysia, with more to come in Detroit, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and India. However, Apple has been more selective with physical locations since the pandemic, prioritizing online store rollouts and relocating or upgrading older stores.
In addition to the Dalian closure, Apple is shutting down stores in Bristol (UK), Partridge Creek (Michigan), and Hornsby (Australia).
Parkland Mall has seen other major brands exit in recent years, including Coach, Sandro, and Hugo Boss. Earlier this year, the mall’s majority shareholder assumed full operational control.
