Amazon's New Grocery Stores Are Already Hiring

In October, the Wall Street Journal wrote that Amazon would possibly be opening its grocery stores, possibly before the end of the year, and possibly starting in California. An unnamed source told the Journal that the company had already signed "more than a dozen leases" in the Los Angeles area, although that person suggested that the first three stores would be in Woodland Hills, and Studio City, along with the Orange County city of Irvine.

At the time, Amazon declined to comment, saying only that the company "doesn't comment on rumors or speculation." A month-ish later, and it looks like that source might've been (mostly) right. On Monday, Amazon officially said that it planned to open its first grocery store in 2020, in Woodland Hills, California.

The details are still scarce, but CNET reports that the store will most likely have the Amazon name—not Whole Foods—and it will not use the cashierless checkout systems that are in place in its Amazon Go convenience stores. "When it comes to grocery shopping, we know customers love choice, and this new store offers another grocery option that's distinct from Whole Foods Market, which continues to grow and remain the leader in quality natural and organic food," an Amazon spokesperson said.

Amazon has posted four job listings for the new as-yet-unnamed grocery store; the company is looking for a store lead, a food service associate, and two grocery associates, including one on an overnight shift. "Join us as we launch Amazon’s first grocery store in Woodland Hills," the ads say. "We are passionate about creating a shopping experience that customers will love. If you are customer-obsessed, like learning new things, and want to contribute to end-to-end store operations for a new business, this is the place for you!"

Pay for the three associate positions starts at $15.35 per hour, while the store lead starts at $16.90 per hour.

As of now, there are no additional details about the number of employees that will be at the store, the official opening date, or even the full product range. But now that this Amazon has gone from "we don't comment on speculation" to "We're opening a grocery store," surely there will be more info to share soon.