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Capital Teas closes Annapolis Mall store, citing falling sales

WASHINGTON — In another blow to the nation’s struggling shopping mall industry, Capital Teas is closing its store at the Westfield Annapolis Mall.

The company said sales over the past year are down 40-to-50 percent.

Capital Teas joins anchor Lord & Taylor in deciding to close its Annapolis Mall location this year.

The mall location is being folded into the company’s flagship store in historic downtown Annapolis at 77 Main Street.

Ten other stores in Maryland, Virginia, D.C. and Florida are unaffected.

“We have conducted an extensive review of our market presence, and we believe in the long-term vibrancy and success of our store in the historic district of Annapolis while being forced to address the reality of the dramatic slowdown in our store’s sales at the Annapolis Mall,” said Capital Teas chief executive Peter Martino.

Capital Teas, founded in 2007, is also transforming its overall business with investments in e-commerce and wholesale channels. It said physical retail stores remain an important part of its business model, where customers can experience the tea firsthand.

Capital Teas’ stores carry more than 200 tea varieties and also sell tea-brewing accessories. Washington-area stores include Bethesda, Dupont Circle, Fairfax and National Harbor.

Massachusetts court hears arguments in lawsuit alleging Meta designed apps to be addictive to kids

BOSTON (AP) — Massachusetts' highest court heard oral arguments Friday in the state's lawsuit arguing that Meta designed features on Facebook and Instagram to make them addictive to young users. The lawsuit, filed in 2023 by Attorney General Andrea Campbell, alleges that Meta did this to make a profit and that its actions affected hundreds of thousands of teenagers in Massachusetts who use the social media platforms. “We are making claims based only on the tools that Meta has developed because its own research shows they encourage addiction to the platform in a variety of ways,” said State Solicitor David Kravitz, adding that the state's claim has nothing to do the company's algorithms or failure to moderate content. Meta said Friday that it strongly disagrees with the allegations and is “confident the evidence will show our longstanding commitment to supporting young people.” Its attorney, Mark Mosier, argued in court that the lawsuit “would impose liabilities for performing traditional publishing functions” and that its actions are protected by the First Amendment.
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