Amazon.com opened its first brick & mortar store at Century City’s Westfield Mall in Los Angeles on October 3, 2017. The over 5,000 square foot wood-floored space is at 10250 Santa Monica Blvd. Tel. (310)734-5949 Hours are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
I managed to visit the store October 7 to scout for psychology and social science books as comps for a book I am shepherding that will be published in late spring 2018.
It was quiet for a Saturday. Young guides asked if it was my first visit and then prompted me to use an Amazon.com app to identify book prices as no costs are marked.
New books were promoted beside long-time best sellers in spaces organized by genre – fiction, psychology, etc.
Once you’ve chosen your merchandise – books, cards, coloring books, knickknacks, you proceed to the cashier.
I have only been to the Century City store once. I find I’m still ordering from Amazon on-line even if I have to pay for postage.
Note: Amazon recently hired Steve Kessel as VP in charge of all brick and mortar operations including Amazon Books, Whole Foods, etc. with the goal of re-inventing how customers shop in stores. Let’s see how this will evolve in a space currently without much eye candy. Or do we absolutely have to have eye candy and more choices?!!
I still miss my all-time favorite LA bookstore, the Bodhi Tree, formerly housed on Melrose Avenue. It closed five years ago.
The Bodhi Tree first opened in 1970 and quickly became a haven for spiritual seekers. Over the years it hosted well-known writers and thought leaders from the Body/Mind/Spirit world.
The new venture, incubating since the store closure, is completely on-line with new and antiquarian books. The experience is not quite the same without incense burning and hot cinnamon tea to sip. But let’s see how this will evolve. Every new invention requires time.
The on-line store also offers sacred Buddhist and Hindu treasures for the home, wellness beauty products, and healing items. You can find the metaphysical mercantile at http://www.BodhiTree.com or by writing hello@bodhitree.com.
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