Iconic Businesses Closed Because of Coronavirus

On March 13, Apple announced plans to temporarily close all brick-and-mortar locations outside of China for the two weeks from March 14 through March 27. Apple extended the closures past the initial deadline as the coronavirus continued to spread across the U.S. The closures affect dozens of stores across 44 states and the District of Columbia. Though the company expected to start reopening locations beginning in early April, closures will now likely be extended into May.

The 102-year-old New Orleans French fine-dining institution that has earned accolades from publications such as Forbes Travel Guide, Frommer’s, and GQ, closed in March. The restaurant laid off its 200-person staff after the state of Louisiana ordered all bars and restaurants to stop dine-in services on March 16.

While some Barnes & Noble locations remain open, the bookstore chain’s iconic location on 17th Street in Manhattan closed in March until further notice at the request of local health officials. The store’s brick-and-mortar locations that are still open in other parts of the country have reduced hours and are letting in no more than 10 customers at a time.

To date, few parts of the country have been as hard hit by COVID-19 as New York City. Manhattan alone has over 11,000 confirmed cases of the virus.

Luxury department store Bergdorf Goodman closed its Manhattan flagship store on March 17. While other retailers and department stores around the city have announced tentative re-opening dates, Bergdorf Goodman has yet to speculate on when it will re-open its doors.

All 56 Bloomingdale’s locations are temporarily closed as the department store chain joins the fight to curb the spread of the coronavirus. The closures include the iconic flagship location on 59th Street in Manhattan. Though March 31 was the target date for reopening when the closures were announced, all Bloomingdale’s locations remain closed, as the coronavirus’s peak likely remains weeks out in much of the country. Like several other brick-and-mortar department stores that have temporarily closed, Bloomingdale’s says it will provide compensation and benefits for workers who are impacted by the closures.

Aerospace giant Boeing announced on April 6 that it was suspending production at its manufacturing plant in South Carolina due to concerns about the safety and health of its workers and the safety of the supply chain because of the spread of coronavirus. The action follows Boeing’s announcement on March 23 that it was temporarily halting production operations at its Puget Sound and Moses Lake facilities in Washington state. On April 5, the company said it was extending suspension of those operations in Washington state “until further notice.”

Little Havana hot spot Café La Trova, which gained regional popularity with its interpretation of Cuban cuisine as well as with its signature cocktails, closed indefinitely on March 16. In a note to customers on its website, restaurant founder Julio Cabrera and chef Michelle Bernstein said, “We love and support our community deeply, and it is from this place in our hearts that we have come to the very difficult decision to close our doors temporarily as a result of the COVID-19 virus.” In an online message on the restaurant’s website, the owners are asking for donations so they can pay their employees.

Canlis, the 70-year-old fine-dining stalwart in Seattle, announced on March 9 that it was closing its Queen Anne dining service, which received a design award from the James Beard Foundation. The restaurant said it was starting a breakfast bagel service, a burger drive-thru for lunch, and a family meal dinner delivery service in place of the venerable eatery. In a note to patrons on its Facebook page, restaurant owners said, “Fine dining is not what Seattle needs right now. Instead, we’re bringing dinner to you, safely creating jobs for our employees while serving as much of our city as we can.”

Dalessandro’s, the quintessential Philadelphia cheesesteak restaurant in the city’s Roxborough neighborhood, announced it would close on March 15. The eatery said on Facebook that it is doing its “part to take precautionary measures.” They added, “We will closely monitor the CDC guidelines and the impact on our local community and will reopen when we feel it is appropriate to do so.”

Until March 12, 2020, Disneyland had only closed unexpectedly three times in its 65-year history: once to mourn the assassination of John F. Kennedy; once more due to a 1994 earthquake; and again on Sept. 11, 2001. The closure due to the coronavirus was originally anticipated to remain in place until the end of the month, but it may now extend to the summer months, depending on when stay-at-home orders are lifted in California.

Walt Disney World, Disney’s flagship amusement park in Orlando, Florida, shuttered its doors indefinitely at the close of business on March 15. Employing over 70,000 people, Disney World is the largest single-site employer in the United States. With over 20 million visitors in 2018, Magic Kingdom, a part of Walt Disney World, is the most visited amusement park in the world.

In the face of mounting pressure from the United Auto Workers union, Fiat Chrysler shut down production plants in several states on March 18. Initially, the plants were scheduled to reopen in April, but as the coronavirus has yet to peak in much of the country, Fiat Chrysler has delayed plans to restart production. As of April 8, production is officially projected to begin again in early May. Two Fiat Chrysler workers have died from the coronavirus.

Each of the Big Three American automakers halted production of new vehicles on March 18. The decision came as pressure mounted from the United Auto Workers — a labor union that counts some 56,000 hourly Ford employees among its ranks. Ford was initially planning to reopen production facilities on April 6, but on March 31, the company announced plants in Mexico and the United States would remain closed indefinitely.

Along with Fiat Chrysler and Ford, General Motors halted production of new vehicles in all U.S. factories on March 18. Unlike the other two automakers, GM has not made an announcement as to when plants will reopen. Production status will be reevaluated week-to-week after March 30. However, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whiter has banned non-essential business from reopening until at least April 13. It is unclear if that ban includes auto plants.

Movie aficionados will recognize the Hotel Del Coronado in Coronado, California, as the site of the Miami beach scenes from the 1959 comedy “Some Like It Hot,” starring Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis, and Jack Lemmon. On March 25, hotel General Manager Harold Rapoza Jr. announced that the 130-year-old National Historic Landmark was suspending operations on March 26 because of the effect of the coronavirus on the hospitality industry. “Please know that we are committed to fully restoring operations and welcoming the community, guests and team members back as soon as possible,” he said.

Jackson’s Prime, a Fort Lauderdale, Florida, steakhouse that opened in 2017, closed permanently on March 17 in an announcement from managing partner Jack Jackson, a restaurant veteran whose business partners included actor Burt Reynolds. The restaurant closed after Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis ordered all restaurants and bars in the city to be shuttered. In a letter to employees, Jackson said, “Our restaurant, like most businesses, depends on its cash flow to operate successfully. At this moment I do not see any scenario that solves this financial reality. For those reasons I sadly must announce that Jackson’s Prime will not be re-opening.”

Jing Fong, a mecca for dim sum devotees in Manhattan’s Chinatown for 48 years, announced on March 12 it would close because of concerns over the coronavirus. The decision to shutter Chinatown’s largest Chinese restaurant — nearly 800 seats — was made after New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s announcement that gatherings of 500 people or more were banned. The restaurant’s marketing director Claudia Leo told the New York Post that Jing Fong will reopen sometime in the future.

All brick-and-mortar L.L. Bean retailers have been shuttered since the close of business on March 16. The closures affect dozens of stores across 19 states, including the brand’s iconic flagship location in Freeport, Maine. Initially, the stores were scheduled to reopen on March 29, but that date has come and gone, and the closures remain in place. The company does not speculate as to when they will reopen.

Le Bernardin, the upscale New York City French seafood restaurant that has been a gastronomical attraction since it opened in New York in 1986, announced it was closing on March 13. Chef and co-owner Eric Ripert told CNBC on March 23 that he laid off the entire restaurant staff. Ripert said he felt the government was not doing enough for the restaurant industry and expressed concerns that Le Bernardin would not be able to recover from the crisis.

Konbi was one of L.A.’s hottest restaurants and an Instagram sensation in 2019, serving Japanese-style sandwiches — such as its egg salad offerings — and French pastries. A Konbi Instagram post said the restaurant’s last day (“for now”) was March 30. On its website, Konbi owners said, “We love you and we will be back as soon as we can.”

MGM Resorts International announced on March 15 that it was suspending operations indefinitely at its Las Vegas properties — including Bellagio, Wynn Las Vegas, and MGM Grand — effective March 17 because of concerns over the coronavirus pandemic. The company said it was not taking reservations before May 1.In a press release, MGM said that “Despite our commitment to dedicating additional resources for cleaning and promoting good health, while making difficult decisions to close certain aspects of our operations, it is now apparent that this is a public health crisis that requires major collective action if we are to slow its progression. Accordingly, we will close all of our Las Vegas properties as of Tuesday, March 17th, for the good of our employees, guests and communities.”

Macy’s has shuttered all of its 551 locations nationwide, including its flagship store in Manhattan’s Herald Square. The stores have not reopened since the close of business on March 17 — even though they were initially scheduled to reopen on March 31. As is the case with most retailers on this list, it remains unclear when Macy’s will reopen its doors to shoppers.

The Mall of America has not reopened since the close of business on March 17. Initially scheduled to reopen on March 31, the mall is now closed indefinitely as the coronavirus continues to spread around the United States. The decision to close the mall was made in accordance with guidance from elected officials, according to a statement released by the shopping center. The Mall of America and its 330 stores draw in an estimated 40 million shoppers annually.

Manny’s Deli, which has been serving patrons in Chicago’s South Loop since 1942 — among them former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel — shut its doors on March 17, following orders from Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker that all Illinois bars and restaurants are to be closed. The Chicago institution said on its website that its grocery counter was open for walk-up business and that the deli would conduct carryout, curbside, and regular delivery.

Among the longtime dining establishments that are in danger of not surviving the COVID-19 pandemic is Nate’n Al’s in Beverly Hills. The 75-year-old iconic deli closed on March 29, idling all of its workers, as it is losing its lease. On its website, the noshery’s owners said that “it was the intention of the current ownership to get through this crisis like every other restaurant and make the right decisions at the right time. Our goal is to keep the Nate’n Al’s tradition alive.”

Seattle-based retailer Nordstrom opened its New York City luxury department flagship store in October of 2019 with much fanfare. Barely six months later, on March 17, the 119-year-old company announced that it was closing all of its stores, including the new flagship on Broadway and 57th Street. Nordstrom said on its website that it will provide three weeks of pay to laid off employees and benefits through April.

Saks Fifth Avenue, one of New York City’s quintessential department stores that has locations all over the nation, shuttered all of its stores, including its famous Manhattan flagship store, on March 17. On its website, the retailer said it planned to close its stores for two weeks, starting March 17. However, Saks said that “it is clear that it is still not the right time to re-open.” The closure of the Saks flagship comes as the company was completing the $250 million renovation of the company’s showpiece store.

Tiffany & Co. has closed all of its 94 brick-and-mortar stores in the United States. The high-end jewelry made the announcement on March 17 and stated that the closures would remain in place until at least the end of March. All Tiffany locations, including the brand’s flagship location on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, remain closed.

Top of the Hub is a restaurant that has occupied the 52nd floor of the Prudential Tower in Boston for 54 years. The restaurant offers breathtaking views of the Charles River and has been the setting for innumerable marriage proposals. Top of the Hub was scheduled to close in April, but its closure was accelerated when Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker ordered a ban on dining in at restaurants on March 15. A restaurant spokesman said employees will be paid retention bonuses.

Universal Studios announced on March 12 the closure of Universal Studios Hollywood theme park in California on March 14 and of Universal Orlando Resort in Florida the next day. Though they were initially scheduled to remain closed until the end of the month, those plans changed on March 24, and the closures were extended until at least April 19.