After beginning to reopen its retail stores in the US earlier this month, Apple today confirmed that it plans to begin reopening more stores next week and detailed how it plans to do so while keeping its employees and customers safe.
Apple plans to open more than 25 stores in 7 US states next week. As noted by 9to5Mac, those states include California, Washington, Florida, Colorado, Hawaii, and Oklahoma. You can use Apple's Find a Store tool to check if the stores in your area have reopened.
All of these locations will allow you to buy a device online and then pick it up at the store as well as make Genius Bar appointments. Stores in California and Washington will be limited to curbside or storefront service.
Apple is also planning to reopen 12 stores in Canada and 10 in Italy in the next week.
Deirdre O'Brien, Apple SVP of Retail + People, posted a public letter to Apple's website explaining that the company plans to focus on limiting occupancy in its stores and giving everyone plenty of room. Face coverings will be required for all employees and customers, and customers who don't have their own will be given one by Apple.
Temperature checks will be performed at the door of each store and questions will screen for those who have symptoms or may have recently been exposed to someone with the coronavirus. Apple employees will perform "enhanced deep cleanings" throughout the day, with special focus being paid to all surfaces, display products, and highly trafficked areas.
"Our commitment is to only move forward with a reopening once we’re confident we can safely return to serving customers from our stores," O'Brien explains. "We look at every available piece of data — including local cases, near and long‑term trends, and guidance from national and local health officials. These are not decisions we rush into — and a store opening in no way means that we won't take the preventative step of closing it again should local conditions warrant."
