Self-Isolation

Supreme drops will be online-only temporarily due to coronavirus outbreak

The brand is closing all its retail stores for the foreseeable future.

Mike Kemp/In Pictures/Getty Images

Following in the footsteps of other major retailers and brands worldwide, Supreme will be closing all its brick-and-mortar stores amid concerns over the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. In an email to customers on Monday, the brand said its weekly drops are only going to happen on its website "until further notice," as it hopes to ensure the safety of people who otherwise show up to Supreme shops every Thursday. Supreme added that it will continue to monitor the situation, but for now this is the best scenario for both shoppers and its staff.

No fear — Supreme shutting down its retail spaces for the foreseeable future is a great (and responsible) move by the brand, since it's the only thing that can stop its faithful crowd from lining up outside its stores as they look to buy their next streetwear grail.

Just last week, despite health experts advising individuals around the globe to practice social distancing to prevent the spread of COVID-19, Supreme stores in New York City were still packed with diehards. They breathed each other's air as they waited elbow-to-elbow in line for hours, all in hopes of getting their hands on that limited-edition North Face RTG gear.

"You're a New Yorker, you kinda thug it out," one of the Surpeme fans told GQ in an interview, saying that he wasn't afraid to catch the virus.

Join the list — As mentioned earlier, Supreme isn't the only fashion brand taking similar precautions due to the coronavirus. Over the weekend, Nike announced it decided to close a large number of its stores until March 27th, including in Canada, Western Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and, naturally, the U.S.

While Supreme didn't provide a specific date for when it plans to re-open its shops, chances are it will be at least a few weeks before that happens.