Amazon Toying with Retail Stores?

Is Amazon(AMZN Quote) preparing to launch its own retail stores? If so, the company's not talking.

The online retailer received a patent earlier this week for a mini-building design that has sent rumbles throughout the retail world -- or, more specifically, on several online financial blogs -- of a possible brick-and-mortar business venture by the company.

The patent, number D593,208, was originally filed on Oct. 31, 2007, and lists Michael Ausich, Peter Stocker and Stephanie Landry of Seattle as inventors. The relationship between the three and the company was unclear in the patent filing. ...