An official statement was released by Nokia that two of it's flagship stores, New York and Chicago will close in the early part of 2010. Below is the statement from Nokia:

The Flagship stores, opened in 2006 in the U.S., were conceived to inspire and educate consumers to the benefits of mobility through an innovative retail experience, and broaden the appeal of the Nokia brand.

The decision to close the two Nokia Flagship Stores in the U.S., located in New York City and Chicago, was made to create clear alignment with our local market strategy and in addition, as part of a global realignment of Nokia’s retail strategy.

Nokia remains committed to providing the best consumer and retail experience around the world – the Flagship Stores are only part of Nokia’s retail experience and marketplace strategy. Nokia’s retail strategy includes retail and operator partners and their more than 600,000 retail outlets globally. All of these customer outlets will remain essential to Nokia’s ongoing success and continue to be a primary sales channels in the future.

via: Nokia to close its Chicago and New York flagship stores » Unwired View