Apple said on Thursday that ‌it will shut down its retail store in Towson, Maryland, the ‌first of its U.S. locations ⁠where retail employees successfully unionized in 2022.

The iPhone maker described the decision as “difficult”, citing ​the departure of several retailers and worsening conditions at the ⁠Towson Town Center mall as key reasons for the closure.

Apple said Towson employees will be eligible to apply for open roles at the company.

In 2022, more than 100 Apple ‌workers ⁠in Towson voted to join the International Association of Machinists & AerospaceWorkers (IAM) union, ‌marking a milestone for unionization at major U.S. corporations such as Amazon.com and Starbucks.

​Around the same time, a similar union drive ​in Atlanta was withdrawn, with Apple ​workers alleging intimidation.

The IAM Union said on Thursday that it is “outraged” ⁠byApple’s decision to close the store, and that it was exploring all legal options.

“Apple’s claim that the collective bargaining agreement prevents relocation ​is simply false and ⁠raises serious concerns that this closure is a cynical ​attempt to bust ​the ‌union,” the union said.

Apple also plans to shutter stores at Trumbull Mall inConnecticut and the ‌North County Mall in California, with employees continuing their roles ⁠at nearby Apple Retail stores.