Amazon opens first Washington-area bookstore

AMAZON’S first Washington, DC-area bookstore was set to open Tuesday with two stories of books, electronics, toys and even juicers – but not a single price tag.

The online behemoth is hoping its loyal internet following will translate into in-store customers on Georgetown’s M Street, in the same building that Barnes & Noble once inhabited before shutting down in 2011.

At 930 square metres, the store is among the largest of Amazon.com’s 15 bookstores. It includes 5,600 book titles – all of which are displayed with their covers facing out – as well as doz- ens of tablets and smart-home devices on display for customers to test. ( Jeff Bezos, the founder and chief executive of Amazon, also owns the Washington Post.)

‘Extension of Amazon.com’

Instead of price tags, customers are encouraged to use Amazon’s mobile app to scan items for their costs. Scanning machines around the store also alert shoppers to an item’s price – which, for Prime members, is the same as on Amazon.com. Everyone else pays list price.

“As you walk through the store, you’ll see that what we’ve really tried to do is create an extension of Amazon.com,” said Cameron Jones, vice president of Amazon Books.

Amazon isn’t selling just books. A section called “New Year New You” includes Vitamix blenders and Breville juicers, alongside espresso makers and wellness items. The children’s section, where books are organised by age group, includes a table of magnetic toys and Fire Kids tablets. Another area, called Amazon Launchpad, features creations such as sous-vide cooking tools and Mason jar fermentation kits. A small coffee bar downstairs is operated by Allegro Coffee, which is owned by Whole Foods Market. (Amazon bought Whole Foods last year for $13.7 billion.)