Northbrook Court, a once busy and bustling indoor mall in the northern suburbs, will soon say goodbye to one of its few remaining tenants: The Apple Store.
In a statement to NBC Chicago, the California-based tech giant cited the mall's "evolving redevelopment plans" and recent departure of several retailers as reasons behind the closure.
"At Apple, we’re always focused on providing an exceptional experience for all of our customers," Apple's statement said. "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."
Apple originally opened in Northbrook Court on the lower level in 2005. In 2017, it moved to a bigger space on the second level, occupying approximately 7,600 square feet, according to a report from Crain's.
A store closing timeline or date was not provided.
Customers can visit Apple's other eight Chicago-area stores for products and tech bar support, the statement added, including locations in Chicago on Michigan Avenue and in Lincoln Park, or in the suburbs at Old Orchard Mall in Skokie, Woodfield in Schaumburg, Orland Park Square, Oakbrook, Deer Park and Main Place in Naperville.
The closure comes as Northbrook Court remains a shell of its former self, with dozens of empty store fronts and shuttered restaurants. Earlier this year, popular Canadian athleisure retailer and mall tenant Lululemon closed.
Meanwhile, rumors of Northbrook Court's few remaining stores closing continue to swirl across social media.
Photos of fast-fashion clothing store Forever21 Wednesday showed "store closing sale" and "inventory blow out" signs posted throughout the space. Emails sent to Forever21 from NBC Chicago were not returned, and a salesperson did not provide comment when reached over the phone.
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According to CNBC, Forever21 is in talks with liquidators, indicating the retailer is struggling to find a buyer as it considers a second bankruptcy filing.
In 2023, mall owner Brookfield Properties earned village approval to move forward with an $825 million plan to redevelop and revitalize the area, Crain's reported, with a 10-year conceptual plan to create an "outdoor retail/dining destination" on part of the property, along with residential development and a possible teardown of the existing buildings. The 2023 proposal "reimagines" development set forth in 2019, which originally included an apartment complex, grocery store, and other retailers on the site of the now-demolished Macy's, according to a report from the Northbrook Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
According to the report, the 2019 plans were paused in the wake of the COVID pandemic, with village officials repeatedly extending the development agreement "to adapt changes in the retail landscape."
A statement from Brookfield Properties provided to NBC Chicago Wednesday said the mall "continues to work diligently with the Village of Northbrook to create a development plan that balances the needs of the community with the requirements for a commercially viable project."
"In the meantime, we remain transparent with tenants on the need to maintain flexibility as we work through the redevelopment plans," the statement went on to say.
When asked about other closures at the mall, the firm said it is company policy to not speak on behalf of tenants.
The Village of Northbrook did not immediately respond to NBC Chicago's request for comment.
