Footwear and sports apparel giant Nike has announced that it would be shutting down all of its stores in the United States and several other stores abroad to help limit the spread of the novel coronavirus. Other sportswear retailers, including Under Armor, Athletica, and Lululemon, have also made similar announcements just days after other retailers announced the temporary closures of their outlets.
Nike mentioned on Sunday that its stores in the United States, Canada, Western Europe, New Zealand, and Australia will be closed for 12 days starting on March 16 up to March 27. Meanwhile, some of its stores in countries such as Japan, South Korea, and some parts of China will remain open.
The Portland-based company currently has more than 350 stores in the United States under both its Nike and Converse brands. The temporary closure of its stores in the US will also result in the shutdown of its six major distribution centers in the country, namely its five distribution centers in Tennessee and its center in Indiana. Globally, the company has over 750 outlets.
A Nike spokesperson mentioned that the company is taking all the necessary steps to ensure the safety of its employees and its customers throughout its global stores, manufacturing plants, and its managed facilities.
The company has even allowed some of its office employees to work from home to reduce unnecessary physical contact. Earlier this month, Nike had announced that it had temporarily closed its European headquarters in the Netherlands after one of its employees had tested positive for the virus.
Under Armor made a similar announcement and revealed that it would be shutting down its stores in the United States for two weeks. Meanwhile, Lululemon stated that it would be closing its stores in the country over the same period. All three companies have assured customers that they can still purchase their products through their online outlets and through third-party distributors.
The continued spread of the novel coronavirus in the United States has resulted in a major drop in sales for the country's retail industry. Most shoppers are now choosing to stay at home as the cases of the infected continue to grow. Disease experts in the US have stated that the situation could get worse before it gets better.
While major retailers have decided to close up shop to reduce the risk of the virus spreading any further, some companies have decided to continue their businesses. US retailers such as Saks Fifth Avenue, Banana Republic and Macy's have all announced that their stores will remain open for business.
