Great American Businesses Closed Because of Coronavirus

Even though it operates in states that have allowed some nonessential businesses to reopen, all of the Gap’s 2,502 American locations have been shuttered since March 19 and will only reopen “as soon as it’s safe to do so,” according to the company, with no specific timeline given.

Apple extended the closures past the initial deadline of mid-April as the coronavirus has continued to spread across the U.S. The closures affect dozens of stores across 44 states and the District of Columbia. The company reopened its retail location in Seoul, South Korea, in mid-April, after reopening all 42 of its locations in mainland China. CEO Tim Cook has said that some U.S. locations may reopen in the first half of May, but not many.

Luxury department store Bergdorf Goodman closed its Manhattan flagship on March 17. While other retailers and department stores around the city have announced tentative reopening dates, Bergdorf Goodman has yet to speculate on when it will reopen its doors. Its parent company, Neiman Marcus Group, is reportedly preparing to file for bankruptcy, according to Bloomberg. The company has struggled with debts of nearly $5 billion already before the coronavirus pandemic hit the U.S.

American Girl has sold over 32 million dolls and over 157 million books since it was founded in 1986. In its 19 physical locations across the country, American Girl stores offer visitors dining, custom dolls, salons, and more. Those locations have been shuttered since mid-March and will continue to be closed until further notice.

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. Disney said in a statement on April 16 that it would allow guests to make reservations for June 1 and later, but it remains unclear if the park would be open by then. All other parks at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida are closed indefinitely as well.

Yankee Candle closed all of its nearly 500 locations indefinitely. The company said it would also temporarily pause production of the candles it produces, which could result in delays of some deliveries, though the candles will be available at certain retailers’ websites.

In the face of mounting pressure from the United Auto Workers union, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles shut down production plants in several states on March 18. Initially, the plants were scheduled to reopen in April, but as the coronavirus pandemic has yet to peak in much of the country, the car company has delayed plans to restart production. As of early May, production was officially projected to begin again in most North American plants on May 18.

Salaried employees were reportedly told 20% of their pay from April through June would be deferred. The automaker reopened a production plant in Italy in late April.

All brick-and-mortar L.L. Bean locations 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 — which recently began offering curbside pickup. The clothing and outdoor recreation equipment company said it intends to keep these locations closed “until further notice,” with no target date to reopen them.

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. A GoFundMe campaign for restaurant staff was closed after it raised over $226,000.

MGM Resorts International announced on March 15 that because of concerns over COVID-19 it was suspending operations indefinitely at its Las Vegas properties effective March 17. The resorts affected include Bellagio, Mandalay Bay, and MGM Grand. MGM’s properties are accepting reservations beginning June 1.

Cosmetics and beauty brand Glossier will close its stores at least until the end of May. The company also halted all temporary pop-up stores. Glossier said in a statement that employees would still be compensated for their scheduled work.

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 it was closing all of its stores, including the new flagship on Broadway and 57th Street.

The company is now offering curbside pick-up at some locations. According to a company statement in early May, repairing stores will be contingent on state and local government approval, established safety protocols for stores to follow, and confidence the company can ensure the wellbeing of employees and customers.

Tyson Fresh Meats, a leading producer of beef and chicken in America, has closed several plants due to COVID-19 concerns. Plants in Washington and Nebraska were shuttered briefly for cleaning and employee testing. One of Tyson’s plants in Iowa is closed indefinitely, and another was closed for two weeks after employees tested positive for COVID-19. Tyson’s chairman cautioned that more plant closures could be coming and that these disruptions could have a negative effect on America’s food supply chain. President Trump signed an executive order to try to push meat plants like Tyson’s and others to open, but it has had little effect and many plants have remained closed.

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 the locations 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 through May 31.

Hillerich & Bradsby Co., the company that makes the iconic Louisville Slugger baseball bats, closed its plant and museum on March 19 and would remain closed for the foreseeable future. The company furloughed almost all of its nearly 200 workers. The company usually makes millions of bats a year, with tens of thousands going to Major League Baseball. With the season paused and no timetable to return, there is no demand for bats.

Bed Bath & Beyond closed down all of its 1,024 stores in response to the coronavirus crisis. The consumer goods retailer will continue to offer online sales and an extended return policy. The stores will be closed until at least May 16, though the company had previously announced two targeted reopening dates that were pushed back each time.

While staying at home, Americans are having to pass the time without the national pastime. On March 12, Major League Baseball cancelled spring training and postponed Opening Day, which was slated to be on March 26. The MLB recently said it was aiming to start an abbreviated season beginning sometime in either late June or early July, with the World Series going until as late as December. Though nothing has been finalized, up to 20 teams may even be able to play in their own home stadiums, albeit without fans in attendance.

Abercrombie & Fitch has temporarily closed all of its clothing stores outside of the Asia-Pacific region, a total of over 800 locations. Due to the high number of online orders and added safety measures taken due to the pandemic, the company said orders would likely be delayed. This could be hugely damaging to the company, which had already faced a shaky financial future going into 2020.

All company-owned and operated Nike stores are temporarily closed. The company has yet to provide an anticipated reopening date for its stores; however, online orders are available. The sporting goods giant announced in April it would repurpose the materials used for some of its footwear and apparel to make PPE for health care workers fighting against COVID-19.

On March 18, Hallmark announced it would close all company-owned locations through April 1. By March 31, it became apparent that any reopening would need to be pushed back, and the company announced it would keep stores closed indefinitely. The company has announced it will give away 4 million cards for people to show their appreciation for health care workers and other essential workers.

Radio City Music Hall is one of America’s best known theaters and venues, hosting the Rockettes Christmas Spectacular since 1933. It, like all other iconic New York venues, has been forced to close after the state issued an executive order banning large gatherings. Events scheduled for March, April, May and beyond have been either postponed until the summer or later, or cancelled.

Jenny Craig typically offers in-person help with weight loss through nutrition and exercise coaching. As a result of the pandemic, more than 500 Jenny Craig locations have been temporarily closed, though the company said in a statement it will continue to offer its clients coaching over the phone and meal delivery or curbside pickup in some areas.

AMC Theaters is the largest cinema chain in America with 661 theaters in the country and hundreds more worldwide. On March 17, AMC announced it would close theaters for between six and 12 weeks. The company, which could reportedly run out of cash by June, informed its landlords that it will stop paying rent as of April. Even as movie theaters in Texas were allowed to reopen by Governor Greg Abbott, AMC said in a statement it will remain closed for a while, aiming to reopen “in the weeks ahead of these new blockbusters” like “Tenet” and “Mulan,” which are scheduled to be released July 17 and July 24, respectively.

Luxury retailer Coach has closed all of its stores indefinitely. The company, known for its high-end handbags, has been closed since March 18 but still offers its items through e-commerce. Coach announced it will help raise money for those in the fashion industry affected by COVID-19, as well as other small businesses in New York City.

After it was closed for just over two weeks, Build-A-Bear Workshop President and CEO Sharon Price John said on April 2 that all stores would be closed until further notice. In late March, the retailer reportedly said it would furlough over 90% of its workers.

24-Hour Fitness, one of the nation’s largest chain of gyms, is temporarily closed. The chain has no timeline for when its over 400 gyms may reopen but anticipates the locations will be “closed for an extended period.” Membership billing was suspended as of April 16. 24-Hour Fitness is still offering free home workout options through its app.

After Carnival’s Diamond Princess ship became one of the first large COVID-19 outbreak clusters outside of China, the cruise company has struggled. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention first issued a No Sail order on March 14; then on April 9 it extended the order by 100 days, which would seem to ban cruises until July. Carnival has canceled cruises on all of its ships through at least July, though most ships will not sail through August and several will not be available until October and November.

Iconic New York steakhouse Peter Luger closed both of its New York locations and laid off 61 workers in late March. While many other restaurants that have stopped offering dine-in service are offering food to-go, Peter Luger said it is not offering a takeout menu. The legendary restaurant has been in business since the late 1800s.

While many stores have closed temporarily due to the pandemic, J. Crew is harder hit by the new economic reality than most. The clothing retailer closed its doors on March 16. On May 4, it announced filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. J. Crew’s lenders will convert over $1.6 billion of the company’s debt into equity as part of an agreement with the retailer. The company is aiming to continue operations by offering goods online and is seeking to reopen its stores “as quickly and safely as possible,” according to CEO Jan Singer.