Published in the January 16, 2017 edition.
By DAN TOMASELLO
LYNNFIELD — Two of the United States’ largest retailers will be coming to MarketStreet Lynnfield this year, one of which will be opening its doors next week.
After a year in the making, the Apple store will be opening at MarketStreet on Saturday, January 28. The Apple store will be located across from the green and in close proximity to J.P. Licks.
In a phone interview with the Villager, Apple spokeswoman Ashley O’Brien said the Apple store’s Northshore Mall location “will close on Friday, Jan. 27 and will open at MarketStreet on Saturday, Jan. 28.”
According to The Salem News, the Northshore Mall’s Apple store opened in 2001 and has been a popular destination for customers.
O’Brien said Apple decided to relocate from the Northshore Mall to MarketStreet because the company is in the process of redesigning its stores.
“It will have an updated look,” said O’Brien.
O’Brien said the new Apple facility will resemble a store that opened at Union Square in San Francisco last May as well as a redesigned store at The Shops at Chestnut Hill. She said the new site will include an area called The Avenue, which was inspired by window displays located along a boulevard and will be changing with the seasons.
Additionally, O’Brien said the Apple store will have a redesigned Genius Bar and a modular seating area for customers.
“The Apple store is going to be a place for the community to gather and learn,” said O’Brien.
National Development Managing Partner Ted Tye said Apple stores are “a huge draw” in a December 2015 edition of the Villager.
“If there is one store that we could add to our current retailers, this would be it,” said Tye. “Our customers and other stores are very excited to have them.”
Amazon Books
In addition to the Apple store coming to MarketStreet, Amazon Books will be opening its doors later this year. The company has yet to announce when the store will be opening.
“We are excited to be bringing Amazon Books to MarketStreet Lynnfield in 2017,” said Amazon spokeswoman Deborah Bass in a statement released to the Villager.
Tye concurred with Bass’ sentiment.
“This is another exciting addition to the tenant mix at MarketStreet,” said Tye. “As one of the first stores of its type in the country, the new Amazon store will offer another reason why our customers and guests keep coming back for unique shopping experiences.”
According to Tye, Amazon Books will be located between Gaslight and Nike.
“The building is completed, so the tenant will be seeking a building permit for its tenant improvements,” said Tye.
Bass noted Amazon Books is currently hiring “store managers and associates.”
“Stay tuned for additional details down the road,” said Bass.
According to The Associated Press, Amazon plans on hiring 100,000 full time workers over the next 18 months as part of an ongoing expansion plan. Amazon said last week its U.S. workforce has grown from 30,000 in 2011 to over 180,000 at the end of 2016. By comparison, Walmart — the world’s largest retailer — employs about 2.4 million people worldwide, including 1.5 million workers in the U.S.
“Innovation is one of our guiding principles at Amazon, and it’s created hundreds of thousands of American jobs,” said Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos in a news release. “These jobs are not just in our Seattle headquarters or in Silicon Valley. They’re in our customer service network, fulfillment centers and other facilities in local communities throughout the country.”
The MarketStreet location will be the e-commerce giant’s second brick-and-mortar bookstore in Massachusetts. Amazon is currently building a bookstore at Legacy Place in Dedham, which is also owned by National Development
According to the Boston Business Journal, Amazon opened its first physical bookstore in Seattle, Washington in 2015. Amazon has also opened locations in San Diego, California and Portland, Oregon. The retail giant is opening bookstores in New York City, New Jersey and Chicago, Illinois as well.
— The Associated Press contributed to this report.
