Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
Jeff Bezos rented a home at 10704 NE 28th St. in Bellevue, Washington, as the company that became Amazon got started. Amazon says its online bookstore opened from the Bellevue home in July 1995; the public website launch followed after the business moved to Seattle. The house drew visitors at an open house in January 2024, but that event does not establish that it is currently for sale or open to the public.
Where did Jeff Bezos start Amazon?
Bezos and MacKenzie Bezos set up the early business in a three-bedroom Bellevue rental in 1994, according to HistoryLink’s account of Amazon’s early years. Amazon’s corporate history says Amazon.com opened as an online bookseller from the Bellevue home in July 1995. HistoryLink places the official website launch on July 16, 1995, after the company had moved to Seattle. Those milestones describe different stages: the business began in Bellevue, while its public website launched after the move.
What visitors saw at the 2024 open house
GeekWire reported that the property was listed for $2.28 million in January 2024 and that people came to see its connection to Amazon’s origin story. One visitor, Amazon employee Manan Patel, told GeekWire, “I just wanted to see where it all started.” The listing team displayed a life-sized replica of an early Amazon.com sign on a workbench in the garage.
The home should not be mistaken for a preserved startup-era interior: the listing description reported by GeekWire said it was rebuilt in 2001. That makes it difficult to identify whether a particular room or work surface matches the original workspace. Early Amazon employees did use makeshift desks made from doors; HistoryLink recounts employee Nico Lovejoy’s explanation that doors were cheaper than desks. Neither source establishes that an original door desk remains in this house.
#1 Best Overall
What happened to the oversized mailbox?
The property once had an oversized mailbox believed to have accommodated catalogs for the early online bookstore. GeekWire reported in 2019 that its fate was unknown; in its 2024 coverage, the outlet said the mailbox had been replaced and appeared lost to history. Its catalog use is a reported belief, not a documented certainty.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Is the Bellevue house for sale or open to visitors now?
The evidence establishes an open house in January 2024, not continuing public access or a current listing. GeekWire reported that the home sold for $1.52 million in 2019 and later carried a $2.28 million asking price in January 2024. Those are dated transaction and listing figures, respectively; neither establishes the property’s present market status or value. No later sale or current visitor arrangements are confirmed here.
Quick Recap
Best Value
Rank #4
Rank #3
Rank #2
- Soldiers
- WW II
- Rescue
- Mission
- Phillipines
Key dates in the house’s story
| When | What is reported |
|---|---|
| 1994 | Jeff and MacKenzie Bezos set up in a three-bedroom Bellevue rental; HistoryLink describes early work in the garage. HistoryLink |
| July 1995 | Amazon says Amazon.com opened as an online bookseller from the Bellevue home. Amazon |
| July 16, 1995 | HistoryLink dates the official website launch to after the move to Seattle. HistoryLink |
| 2001 | The home was rebuilt, according to the listing description quoted by GeekWire. GeekWire |
| 2019 | GeekWire reported a sale price of $1.52 million. GeekWire |
| January 2024 | GeekWire reported the $2.28 million asking price and visitor interest at the open house. GeekWire |
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
