09 Dec Glendale News-Press: Pair of IRL Amazon Stores Arrive in Glendale
By Lila Seidman
Amazon has arrived in analog form in Glendale.
A Food Network-themed Amazon pop-up store opened today at the Glendale Galleria.
It follows on the heels of the launch last Thursday of the online retail giant’s brick-and-mortar Amazon 4-star store at the Americana at Brand in Glendale. There are eight 4-star stores nationwide.
Tied in with the online retailer’s Food Network Kitchen application, the pop-up allows customers to demo the app and pick up some giftable kitchen items, according to company officials.
Shoppers can also take a photo that will look like they’re with their favorite celebrity chef using the store’s on-site green-screen photo booth.
It’s a permanent space, but the theme will rotate every four to six weeks, officials say.
The recently opened 4-star store is the first of its kind in Southern California and the second in the state, with a location that opened last year in Berkeley.
Everything in the store — which includes 2,000 to 2,500 items ranging from electronics to kitchenware to books and games — has garnered a four-star or higher rating on Amazon, are top sellers, or are new and trending, according Amazon. The store itself currently has a 4.5 rating on Yelp.
Items are curated via online-savvy aisle names, like “Trending around Los Angeles,” “Most wished for” and “L.O.L. Surprise!” There are seasonally focused tables offering items pulled from Amazon’s holiday gift guide and toy guide. An online price-checking kiosk is available for customers who want to see if they’re getting a good deal, according to an online review.
Many products in the store are the type that customers particularly want to “touch and see,” according to a company official. That includes “smart” home products, kitchenware and home decor.
Additional 4-star store locations are planned for Burlingame, Calif. and Corte Madera, Calif.
Amazon has also opened a pop-up store in Century City and operates several bookstores in the Los Angeles area.
Source: Glendale News-Press