SEATTLE, WA - New permit documents revealed by tech site GeekWire name “AmazonFresh Pickup” as the e-commerce giant’s latest grocery concept. Evidence collected by the source even suggests these new brick-and-mortar locations will be open soon. 

According to the permit filings, Amazon gained approval from the city of Seattle to install signs that read “AmazonFresh Pickup” for stores in both Seattle’s Ballard and SoDo neighborhoods this week. The filings also show the entrances of the stores will be adorned with signs greeting to each neighborhood, for example, “HELLO BALLARD,” and “HELLO, SODO,” as well as messages such as, “Shop online. Pick up here,” and “Relax while we load your groceries.”

Permit records also cite www.amazon.com/pickup as a possible future web address for shopping for the store online shopping. Currently, the address redirects to a blank white page. 

Additional information that GeekWire pulled from Amazon’s permits include:

• Each store includes an awning for drivers to park under
• Each store includes a brick-and-mortar store where employees put orders together
• Customers will schedule a specific 15-minute to two-hour pick up window when ordering online
• Peak time slots will sell out, helping manage traffic flow 
• Customers can drive into a designated parking area where purchases will be delivered 
• Alternatively, customers can walk into the retail area to pick up their items
• Customers will also be able to walk into the retail room to place orders on a tablet
• Walk in customers will have their products delivered to them in the retail room
• Permitting information uncovered last year said hours of operation are expected to be 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. 
• At peak time, there will be approximately 15 employees working on site
• Three to five employees will be dedicated to bringing orders out to parked cars
• About a quarter of all trips are expected to occur between 5 and 7:30 p.m
• The average wait time is expected to be about five minutes

Amazon has yet to comment on the existence of these stores, but the “Amazon” and “AmazonFresh” names have appeared in permit documents several times, GeekWire confirms. As we’ve reported previously, this is not Amazon’s first foray into brick and mortar retail. Dubbed Amazon Go, the company’s previously announced physical store has shoppers scan their mobile device upon entering the store, take items off the shelf, and walk out the door with no other steps. 

No word yet on when these stores will open their doors to consumers and other prying eyes, but  AndNowUKnow will keep you updated.

AmazonFresh