Apple Inc. will close its store in Dalian’s Parkland Mall on 9 August, marking the company’s first retail shutdown in mainland China since it opened its initial outlet there in 2008. The iPhone maker said the decision followed the departure of other retailers from the shopping centre, which has struggled to retain tenants amid weak consumer spending. Opened in 2015, the Parkland location is one of two Apple stores in the northeastern port city. The Olympia 66 store, about 10 minutes away, will remain open, and all employees from the closing branch will be offered positions at other Apple sites. Despite the retreat, Apple expects to maintain 58 stores nationwide after the Dalian exit. The company plans to open a new outlet in Shenzhen on 16 August and has additional sites under development in Beijing and Shanghai. The closure comes as Apple faces a prolonged slowdown in its second-largest market. Greater China revenue fell to USD 66.95 billion in 2024, almost 10% below its 2022 peak, and slipped a further 2.3% to USD 16 billion in the quarter ended 29 March. Counterpoint Research estimates Apple’s share of China’s smartphone market dropped to 15.5% last year as domestic rivals, led by Huawei and Xiaomi, intensified competition.