NEW YORK (1010 WINS) — E-commerce giant Amazon plans to open "several large physical retail locations," similar to department stores, according to a report published Thursday.
The first stores will open possibly in Ohio and California, sources told the Wall Street Journal.
The brick-and-mortar locations would allow Amazon to showcase items, such as clothing, that consumers cannot try if shopping online, according to the report.
The rise of Amazon contributed to the disruption of traditional department stores, some of which have filed for bankruptcy or disappeared altogether.
But the online retail powerhouse believes a network of large physical locations could allow it to better engage customers and offer new shopping experiences, the report said.
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The new stores would be about 30,000 square feet, which is about one-third of the size of traditional department stores, according to the report.
Amazon already has smaller brick-and-mortar shops, including Amazon Go, Amazon Books and Amazon 4-star, which have locations in Manhattan.
Asked for comment, an Amazon spokesperson said, "We do not comment on rumors and speculation."
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