Amazon Fresh Adds New Store, Closes 2 Others
As Amazon doubles down on its Amazon Fresh grocery concept, the company is figuring out what works and what doesn’t. That includes store operations, reflected in recent changes to its physical footprint.
Amazon confirmed this week that two Amazon Fresh locations are closing. A store at 7807 Sudley Road in Manassas, Va., ceased operations on March 16 and another is expected to shutter soon in Thousand Oaks, Calif.
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As the retail behemoth refines its portfolio, it is also opening new locations that it believes will resonate with shoppers. A brick-and-mortar store will be unveiled on March 27 in Silver Spring, Md., the fifth Amazon Fresh outpost in that state.
The grand opening of the Silver Spring store in the greater DMV region will kick off with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 8 a.m. The first 200 customers will receive a free custom tote bag and gifts, and shoppers who visit the location during the festivities can get a chance to win $500 toward their grocery purchases and enjoy samples, games and music.
Currently, Amazon operates around 60 Amazon Fresh stores in the United States. The company remains committed to physical retailing, recently tapping Whole Foods Market CEO Jason Buechel to take on the additional role of VP for worldwide grocery stores at Amazon.
In a message to Amazon personnel about that move, Doug Herrington, CEO of Worldwide Amazon Stores, underscored the company’s willingness to make changes to move ahead in this channel. “Since creating a single WW Grocery Stores organization in 2022, we have made notable progress in our vision to make grocery shopping simpler, faster, and more affordable for customers,” he declared. “We’ve taken steps to integrate our huge grocery selection across our broader logistics network, and create a more seamless experience for customers, especially Prime members.”
Amazon has taken other steps as it focuses on how to best serve customers in this space. Earlier this month, reports emerged that the company is restructuring its Worldwide Grocery Stores unit.
Seattle-based Amazon is No. 2 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2024 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America. Both Whole Foods and Amazon were named among PG’s Retailers of the Century.
