Amazon to Shut Down Two Style Stores, Shifts Focus Back Online

Amazon Inc. is closing two of its brick-and-mortar clothing stores less than two years after the launch of the first location. The decision comes as the company appeared to have failed in its bid to shift to physical retail.

The shutting of two Amazon Style concept stores is the latest establishment in Amazon’s portfolio to be pulled out from operations. The company reportedly confirmed that the outlets in Glendale, California and Columbus, Ohio, were scheduled for closure on Nov. 9, according to CNBC.

The Clothing Concept Store’s Debut

Amazon first announced its new concept retail last year, and the first physical store was opened in January 2022. In May of the same year, a second outlet was inaugurated in Glendale.

The Amazon Style represented the e-commerce giant’s first venture into the fashion arena - selling clothes, accessories, and shoes in brick-and-mortar outlets instead of the usual online marketplace. This was the company’s latest attempt to enter the physical retail business.

Success Has Been Elusive

While big efforts were made to attain success with its new venture, Amazon’s foray into clothing retail failed to pan out. A short time after the clothing stores’ launch, the company was also forced to shutter some of its other retail chains, such as its Amazon Books and Pop Up Stores, Associated Press News reported.

The firm had to do this to trim costs and be able to manage its physical footprint. It also laid off thousands of employees and closed warehouses. Amid these events, the Amazon Style stores did not yield the result the company expected. Thus, in the end, it had to be shuttered as well.

“After careful consideration, we’ve decided to close our two Amazon Style physical retail stores and focus on our online fashion shopping experience, where we’re offering new, exciting selection at great value and introducing innovative technology to meet the needs of every customer,” Kristen Kish, the spokesperson of Amazon, said in a statement. “Physical retail remains an important part of our business, and we’re continuing to invest in growing our grocery stores business, which spans Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods Market, Amazon Go, and third-party partnerships.”

Photo by: Amazon Press Center