Amazon's Brick-and-Mortar Bookstore Is Coming to New York Though the company built its name on ecommerce, Amazon's expanding chain of stores is a sign that it understands the value of a physical presence.

By Nina Zipkin

entrepreneur daily
Eric Broder Van Dyke | Shutterstock

It's been a while since Amazon was known solely for selling books. But after commissioning award-winning television series and developing a fleet of drones, the ecommerce giant has decided to go back to its roots in recent years -- sort of.

In a move that seemed like the height of irony to anyone who has worked at a Barnes and Noble, Borders or an indie book shop, in 2015, the ecommerce giant opened its first brick-and-mortar book store, Amazon Books, in Seattle.

Locations in Portland, Ore., and San Diego, followed, and storefronts in Dedham, Mass., and Chicago are coming later this year. But first, New York City is going to get an Amazon Books of its own.

Related: Is Amazon's First Brick-and-Mortar Bookstore the Future of Retail?

The inventory of an Amazon Books is very specific. The books for sale are ones that have been given four- or five-star ratings on the website. The stores also act as showrooms for proprietary Amazon gadgets, giving customers the chance to try out items before they decide to purchase them.

The New York store will be at the Shops at Columbus Circle, a mall housed in the Time Warner Center in Manhattan, near Central Park. A Borders store previously located there closed in 2011.

The new space should feel like home to Amazon -- one of the neighboring storefronts belongs to fellow Washington State native Microsoft.

Nina Zipkin

Entrepreneur Staff

Staff Writer. Covers leadership, media, technology and culture.

Nina Zipkin is a staff writer at Entrepreneur.com. She frequently covers leadership, media, tech, startups, culture and workplace trends.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Editor's Pick

Side Hustle

This Gen Zer's Stylish Side Hustle Earns About $20,000 a Month and Paid Off His Parents' $200,000 Debt: 'I Enjoy the Hands-Off Nature'

Ray Cao went from working as a barista for $8 an hour to being a successful seller on online marketplace StockX.

Cryptocurrency / Blockchain

With Bitcoin Reaching New Heights, What Is Next for Crypto?

It's clear the crypto industry feeds off its successes, but with a more stable foundation, the industry can better insulate itself from the volatility that has plagued it for so long and finally enjoy long-term sustainability.

Leadership

The Best CEOs Are Falling Short of Delivering This Top Employee Non-Negotiable. Here Are 5 Things You Can Do to Avoid This Fate.

Establishing the company's core values, purpose, vision statement and value proposition is just the first step in building a positive workplace culture.

Leadership

2 Phrases I Learned From a Senior CIA Officer That Changed My Leadership Style

There are two things you should learn from modern covert operations and espionage. Use them wisely.

Leadership

5 Trailblazing Black Women Entrepreneurs Share How They're Breaking Barriers — And How You Can Too

52,374. That's how many Black women-owned businesses there were in the U.S. in 2020. Although this number might seem insignificant, their impact can be felt. According to J.P. Morgan, Black women are the fastest-growing group of entrepreneurs, and there's no end in sight.