Amazon Fresh closes two stores in California, Virginia

Amazon Fresh, a supermarket chain known for competing with Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s, is shutting down two locations in the United States. The stores in Thousand Oaks, California, and Manassas, Virginia, opened less than three years ago. Manassas closed on March 16, while Thousand Oaks will close on April 27. The closures will impact 164 employees, with 88 at the Thousand Oaks store and 76 at the Manassas location. A spokesperson from Amazon explained that the decision came after assessing their offerings at these sites. The Thousand Oaks branch was significant as it was one of the first to use Amazon's "Just Walk Out" technology. However, this technology has since been discontinued in all Amazon physical stores, including Whole Foods, back in April 2024. Despite recent store closures, Amazon remains committed to their grocery strategy and is looking to refine their approach. Some analysts believe that Amazon's push into brick-and-mortar grocery stores has not met expectations. They have experienced several closures, resets, and renovations. On a positive note, Amazon is still planning to open new stores. A new Amazon Fresh location is set to open in Silver Spring, Maryland, on March 27. This store's launch has been delayed since early 2023 but represents the company's ongoing efforts in the grocery sector.