Amazon is making headlines again this week with plans to open a real life store in Walnut Creek. The space, which will be located at 1259 Broadway Plaza, has only recently started construction—but here's what we know.
Amazon started opening brick and mortar stores in 2015. If you're wondering why a massive online emporium would want to wade through the world of retail IRL, the Denver Post has an informative list as to why that makes a lot of sense. In short, shoppers make more impulse decisions in person, Amazon could be a leader in retail technology, and having actual store locations builds brand loyalty.
Cities like Seattle, Portland and San Diego already have Amazon stores, and the online retailer is no stranger to the Bay Area. Amazon has held pop-up shops in San Francisco in the recent past and has a small outpost on the campus of the University of California, Berkeley where students can order online and pick up that same day. Plus, Amazon is on a spending spree lately. Last week, the Seattle-based company purchased Whole Foods for $13.7 billion dollars, or about the cost of a bag of groceries at Whole Foods.
The Walnut Creek Amazon store will take up 6,489-square-feet in total, will likely open in August and offer some type of cafe experience. Whether that'll be a Starbucks or a more formal dining experience has yet to be revealed.
Like Amazon's stores elsewhere, shoppers will be able to shop books by user ratings and try out tech gadgets. And according to Amazon's website, another brick and mortar store will be opening soon on San Jose's Santana Row. There's still no word, however, on whether an online Prime membership will result in any real life perks.
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