This move seems a little short-sighted and perhaps reactionary. I think Tesla’s stores are (or ought to try to be) more like Apple’s retail stores than high-end car dealerships.

There’s a certain caché that having a brick-and-mortar retail presence adds to a luxury brand, that wouldn’t be possible otherwise. It gives people, especially prospective customers, something physical to connect with when dealing with the company, and it stands as a marketing piece on its own. For many people, an Apple retail store communicates Apple’s ethos and vision far better than their website does.