Online Giant Amazon Debuts First Ohio Store

E-commerce juggernaut Amazon has opened a new pick-up and drop-off store near the University of Cincinnati.

By Anca Gagiuc, Associate Editor

Purdue and Amazon officially opened the Amazon@Purdue pickup and drop-off site in the Krach Leadership Center on Feb. 3. It is Amazon’s first fully-staffed pickup and drop-off location. (Purdue University photo/Charles Jischke)

Amazon@Purdue pickup and drop-off site in the Krach Leadership Center (Purdue University photo/Charles Jischke)

Cincinnati—Seattle-based Amazon, the largest Internet-based retailer in the U.S. has opened a new staffed package pickup point near the University of Cincinnati. This is the first brick-and-mortar Amazon location in The Buckeye State.

Located at 241 Calhoun St. in Clifton, Ohio, Amazon@Cincinnati is the fourth location in the country designed primarily, but not solely, to serve college students. According to Cincinnati.com, the new store offers a secure location for pick up and return of Amazon orders. Additionally, the store will provide free same-day pickup for Amazon Student and Amazon Prime members on orders placed by noon on more than two million items.

Amazon’s new location encompasses 2,363 square feet of space and resembles other recently opened university convenience stores such as Amazon@Purdue and Amazon@UMass (University of Massachusetts at Amherst), as well as future stores at the University of California at Berkeley, University of California at Santa Barbara and University of Pennsylvania.

The orders are placed online through Amazon Student and the buyer receives a text or email notification when their package arrives. This is especially convenient for students who live in dorms or apartments where receiving packages often poses a challenge. Furthermore, through urban distribution centers, Amazon is increasing its visibility among the student demographic that mostly resorts to online shopping.