Select Page
1994 Amazon.com founded in Bellevue, Washington by Jeff Bezos

July 5, 2022

Amazon began in Jeff Bezos' garage in Bellevue, Washington, on July 5, 1994. It was originally conceived as a bookstore, but four years later. In 1998, the website started offering music and videos. At this time, the company, still true to its original conception, began its international expansion by incorporating online bookstores in the UK and Germany. By 1999, the website began offering video games, electronics, software and a very wide range of products.

When Jeff Bezos first conceived the idea of Amazon, he originally decided to call it "Cadabra," which derived from "abracadabra." When he spoke to an attorney about registering the company, the lawyer mentioned the fact that "Cadabra" sounded too much like "cadaver," which could be misconstrued by the public. Soon enough, they settled on Amazon as a nod to the Amazon River because they wanted their selection to be as vast as the river.

Amazon opened its first brick-and-mortar bookstore in 2015 as a tribute to the company's origins. Although it would seem people can buy just about anything on Amazon, there are several items the company doesn't sell, including houses, automobiles, cigarettes and living animals. And for those who like to avoid Amazon, it should be mentioned that the company owns 41 different brands, including Goodreads, Whole Foods, and Audible, among others. Additionally, they own IMDb.com and Zappos.com, together with Souq.com, an e-commerce website that serves Middle Eastern countries, so any time you shop at any of these, you are helping Amazon increase its revenue.

As of 2020, Amazon had about 200,000 employees, many of which bring their pets to work. At the campus in Seattle, about 6,000 dogs "work" for Amazon. The company is outstandingly pet friendly, and one of the buildings in Seattle has a deck dedicated to dogs with a fake fire hydrant for them.

18 Comments

  1. Mark Antonelli

    So, something good did happen in 1994. It was a nightmare for me. I am happy for you

    Reply
  2. Joyce

    I am a conservative and if Jeff Bezos does not believe in God and Marriage and deals with the Middle East and not standing up for life freedom guns and most of all Gods Bless America

    Reply
  3. Anonymous

    Well amount everything , and all the selection they have, I wouldn’t buy clothing is cheap and runs very small . Mostly made in China , they buy it for pennys and sell it to customers for triple the amount making a profit for 3 times what is worth !! Amount that I think Amazon is okay , they don’t treat there employees with respect and dignity ….

    Reply
  4. Philadelphia Collins

    Amazon is built on the back of underpaid, overworked employees the company deems dispensable.

    Reply
  5. Francisco Salinas

    Congratulations… It’s a tuff economy… .wish you continued success now and always, you have earned every cent.

    Reply
  6. Bob

    Service to others is the backbone of any business be nice if the Auto Industry and Governmental Bodies of the USA understood that. Time for Change for Sure.

    Reply
  7. Bob

    Service to others is the backbone of any business be nice if the Auto Industry and Governmental Bodies of the USA understood that. Time for Change for Sure.

    Reply
  8. Kathleen Kozic

    Interesting I do an abundance of shopping from Amazon.

    Reply
  9. Evella Coteat

    Amazing!!!

    Reply
  10. Roderick Braxton

    Amazing ???????? absolutely intriguing

    Reply
  11. Abigail

    Where’s the AA article ? I can access other articles but not the featured AA history

    Reply
  12. Alicia Rodriguez

    Love Amazon!!!!!

    Reply
  13. Alicia Rodriguez

    Love Amazon and so my entire family!!!

    Reply
  14. Shannon B.

    Bezos has r€a£ ₽0w€r t0 h€l₽ the W0RLD now….h€ ha$ a $UPERPOWER…guess which one I’m referring to?

    Reply
  15. Remzo

    It is just another Joe who ended up making trillions on someone else sweat.

    They didn’t invent anything that would help humans live better life or this Planet.

    How sad.

    Reply
  16. Sandra Algiere

    The answer is YES

    Reply
  17. No go screw yourselves

    EI will definitely tell everyone of my contacts New York has the most scammers in the whole USA …..!! lol…hahaha people

    Reply
  18. Gloria Franco

    I wish we had more people that think like Jeff Bezos in this world.

    Reply

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.