(WWJ) Those Amazon Fresh stores that have been sitting vacant for years in Metro Detroit will not be opening after all.
Amazon said it's decided to stay focused on online grocery delivery, and is shutting down its Amazon Fresh grocery stores.
The company said it is one of the top three grocers in the U.S, but said it hasn't yet created a brick-and-mortar model "with a distinctive customer experience." Some of the locations will be turned into Whole Foods stores, according to Amazon.
There are several buildings in Metro Detroit that had been slated to become Amazon Fresh stores — including in Roseville, Troy and Shelby Township. These locations have been sitting vacant for years. Amazon has not said specifically what it plans for these buildings.
Currently, Amazon offers "fast, convenient grocery delivery" in over 5,000 U.S. cities and towns, including thousands served by Same-Day Delivery—where customers can shop perishables alongside millions of other items. "Based on strong customer feedback, we plan to expand Same-Day Delivery of fresh groceries to many more communities in 2026," the company said, in a a Tuesday release.
Currently, Amazon grocery delivery is available in some, but not all areas of Metro Detroit. Cities included are Ann Arbor, Troy, Shelby Township, Rochester Hills, Roseville, Plymouth Township. St. Clair Shores, Livonia, and select neighborhoods in Detroit. (You can check by visiting the website and entering your address).
Amazon has also been testing a new service called Amazon Now, an ultra-fast delivery option that brings thousands of items, including fresh food, to customers' homes in about 30 minutes or less.