Amazon has reportedly closed an Amazon Go convenience store at the base of the Madison Centre office tower at the corner of 5th Avenue and Marion Street in Seattle, according to Geekwire. The news broke three months after the retailer announced that it would close eight other locations across the U.S.
The Seattle store, which closed June 16, was Amazon’s second in the city when it opened in August 2018. Amazon didn’t provide a specific reason for the closure, and the company still operates four other Amazon Go locations within the city.
“We’ve closed our 5th and Marion Seattle Amazon Go location and are working closely with employees to find new opportunities within Amazon, including at other nearby stores,” said Jessica Martin, Spokesperson for Amazon in an emailed statement seen by Geekwire. “We continue operating more than 20 Amazon Go stores across the U.S. and look forward to opening more in the future.”
Closing some Amazon Go stores may help the retail giant focus on its full-size grocery operations, which CEO Andy Jassy said was an area Amazon was prepared to “go big” on in February. The retailer has since continued to introduce tech into Whole Foods stores, including Amazon One palm recognition and the Amazon Dash Cart, a smart shopping cart that lets shoppers skip the checkout line.
However, Amazon is far from done with its cashierless Just Walk Out technology. The technology is still spreading to other retailers, including two Six Flags theme parks with cashierless stores where fans can buy park essentials without waiting in line, and the Coors Field stadium in Colorado, which lets customers purchase beer without pulling out their ID using Amazon One’s age verification feature.
“We are thrilled to be able to offer this convenience to our park guests,” said Stephanie Borge, VP at Six Flags in a statement. “Checkout-free stores powered by Just Walk Out technology provide fast, seamless and contactless transactions, which we think will resonate really well in this setting.”
